Black Fang, White Moon
by Alex McM
Summary: SPOILERS AHEAD! Aizen is defeated but at a terrible cost. Ichigo Kurosaki has lost his powers and with it, the one he loved. New enemies appear and without his aid all seems lost. Can he save the precious White Moon from the overpowering darkness?
1. Sacrifice

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT

I recently read chapter 423 of Bleach and was so captivated by it I just had to write a story based on it. The first chapters will have extreme spoilers so if you aren't completely up to speed with the manga then please stop reading. This chapter is mainly a recap of the final battle between Ichigo and Aizen, just to set the scene for what is to come. Ichi-Ruki fans will be very pleased, in fact I am hoping all Bleach fans will be pleased. Read on, enjoy and dont forget to review. 

_**Black Fang, White Moon**_

_1...Sacrifice_

The air went still. The rustling breezes died. The clouds of dust settled instantly. The world stood still as two great foes faced each other.

Aizen was a distorted creature. A monster of unimaginable strength. The strongest of warriors had met defeat at his hands and with each glimpse of hope, he had evolved further. He was now barely recognizable. Four wings struck out from his back and his eyes, as black as coal glared at the few who remained in his path.

He was unstoppable; he had only to deal with the foolish children who had crossed paths with him. But now there was a new foe. Creeping up like the shadows themselves. It was the Kurosaki boy.

Aizen's lips curled up into a sinister smile. He was finally going to crush the little upstart and with it any hopes of impeding his creation of the Oken and slaying the king of Soul Society. Ichigo was the last stepping stone on the path to victory.

"Hmm, I did not sense your reiatsu..." Aizen mused out loud.

"Aizen." Ichigo tightened his grip on his sword, a jet black katana. "It is time to finish this. Let us go somewhere else. I don't want these people to get hurt."

Aizen laughed. "Why move? You won't last more than a few seconds anywa-"

Ichigo slammed his palm in his face and took hold of him. It happened so fast that he never even saw it coming. Ichigo's expression was one of utter contempt. "I said move!" And he did. He travelled far past the town to a bare wasteland a long way away. He then let go of Aizen's face and threw him into the dirt.

Aizen choked on the dust that filled his lungs.

_What on Earth just happened? I never felt his reiatsu. I never sensed him moving. How? _

Aizen dragged himself to his feet and cursed. "You were lucky that time! I won't let you do that again."

"Enough talk Aizen! I'll finish this in an instant!" Ichigo sounded confident yet furious at the same time.

Aizen rose back to his feet and grinned. "I understand now...The reason I did not feel your reiatsu was not because you lost it...It's because you abandoned it. You understood you could never defeat me in terms of reiatsu, so you converted it into physical strength. But you are a fool. Even this newfound strength is but a grain of dirt in comparison to mine. Prepare yourself Kurosaki. I shall show you the true meaning of despair!"

Ichigo remembered a seemingly unstoppable foe who had once said that to him. A pale, expressionless face with eyes dripping with black blood. A horrible monster that had nearly claimed him, yet even he had succumbed in the end. He had defeated Ulquiorra and now he was ready to defeat Aizen.

Aizen vanished. Before his image had even disappeared he was already behind Ichigo. It did not affect the boy in any way and he parried the blow. The two swords clashed and resulted in a widespread explosive shockwave. A mountain beside them was sliced clean in half creating a rockslide in the surrounding area.

The two foes stood their ground.

"Can you see Kurosaki? My blade can shape the entire landscape. Such is the scale of my power. I never thought I would become this powerful, but thanks to you I can finally test the extent of these powers! I can see just how far I have ascended above hollows and shinigami. I can show you how I have risen to the heavens!"

Aizen charged again. The two crossed swords once more.

"Hmm, it seems in a way we have both evolved, though I am in a different dimension to you. My power eclipses yours; in fact if I wanted to I could shatter your blade in one blow!" Aizen reared up and swung his sword in a horizontal arc.

Ichigo raised his hand and caught Aizen's sword mid-swing. As flesh and steel collided a great explosion went off, bringing everything around to them to rubble.

Aizen's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

_What? I don't understand! He shouldn't have even been able to dodge my attack...But...but he stopped it...Bare handed!_

"What's wrong? You look surprised. Is it that unbelievable that I stopped your blow? Are you scared because something is happening before your eyes which you can't understand?"

"Bah! Do not speak so arrogantly. Your strength merely passed mine for a second. It won't happen again! I will destroy you before you get the chance!" Aizen started chanting. He roared the incantation for a spell and then extended his arms to point at his foe. "Hado 90, Kurohitsugi!"

Ichigo was completely unfazed as the world around him was shrouded in darkness.

Aizen grinned wickedly. "Ha! A level 90 kido with a full incantation coming from one such as me! You are finished Kurosaki! Finished! HA ha ha ha!"

Ichigo glared at the over-confident fool as the darkness overwhelmed him. A few seconds later the entire black coffin shattered into tiny pieces which rained down over the stunned Aizen.

"You just don't get it do you? I'm stronger than you Aizen. It was not your sword that cut the mountain, it was mine." Ichigo used Shunpo to reach Aizen and then, with lightning speed he hacked through Aizen's chest.

Aizen leapt back, horrified. He stared at the blood which oozed out of the massive gash. To him it was not possible. He had never foreseen this happening.

Aizen cursed. "You...You think you are so powerful...Just because you blocked my sword...You broke my kido...And because you cut me...But you are just a lowly human!" Aizen roared, a sound that became less human as it stretched on. A rift ran down his face and in an eruption of blood his skull split in half. The Hogyoku embedded in his chest glowed as black tar spewed over the mess of his head and formed a featureless mask of pure evil. Glowing yellow eyes stared out from the dark mass of his head and razor sharp fangs lined his thin jaws. The wings thickened and mouths grew from their tips. A tail extended from each of the six wings and his right hand no longer ended in a hand, but an extension of protruding bone, shaped like a sword.

Aizen scowled at his foe and charged up a cero from each of the six mouths of his wings. "DIE!"

The combined cero created an immense explosion, creating a blazing pillar which stretched up to the clouds. The smoke and dust spread all the way over to Karakura. Hails of rocks rained down endlessly, pushing the dust aside, slowly revealing Ichigo. He was mostly fine, but one arm was horrifically burned.

Ichigo glanced up at his foe who suddenly appeared beside him. He didn't resist, even when Aizen's hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him high up above the crater until he was standing on air.

"Kurosaki Ichigo...For a moment you transcended both shinigami and hollows, but now not a shadow of that power remains. You are no longer a threat to me...You are nothing but another victim to die by my hand! Can you hear me Ichigo? It is over!"

"Over?" Ichigo snarled. "Is that all you've got?" He swatted Aizen aside and held out his sword. "Fine then. I'll end this. I'll show you the final Getsuga."

Aizen stared at the boy who suddenly became lost in a sea of darkness. The entire world around them became a hellish abyss of nothingness as if a wave of pure darkness had washed over them. When it passed, Ichigo no longer looked like Ichigo.

A wild mane of black hair extended down to his feet. His upper body was as pale as a corpse, wrapped up in grey bandages. Cold unblinking eyes glared out from under a think mask which covered his mouth. Black reishi swirled around him.

"What?" Aizen rasped.

"For the final Getsuga...I must become him. In doing so I will lose all my shinigami powers. That is why it is called the final."

Aizen was about to speak when Ichigo cut him off.

"Farewell Aizen. Mugetsu." The world disappeared. Everything became nothing, light became dark, and the air began to have a suffocating thickness about it. Aizen could not see, all he could experience was the pain as he was torn apart by the shadowy tendrils that surrounded him. He did not know how long it lasted, but it felt like an eternity when at last he was thrown out into the world of light again.

His broken body struggled to piece itself back together but Ichigo took his time to return, giving him a chance to become whole again.

When the boy did appear again his mask was gone. The bandages were unfurling by the second as well. Even the colour was draining from his hair, returning to the vibrant orange it had always been. In a matter of seconds Ichigo was back to normal.

Ichigo fell to his knees and stared at his hands. He could feel his powers slipping away and yet Aizen was still alive.

"Ha. Even with the final Getsuga you were unable to defeat me! The Hogyoku will not allow me to fall to a mere human! Your battle is over! I shall kill you once and for all and- Huh?" Aizen felt a stabbing pain from within. Blades of light burst forth out of his flesh in various spots all over his body. He cursed under his breath when he realised what was happening. "Kido..."

"So, it has finally started to work..."

That voice was instantly recognizable. "Kisuke! This was your doing?"

The former captain appeared before Aizen and nodded. "I implanted that kido within you while you were most distracted, sealed inside another kido."

"Aizen scowled at him.

"You see, I knew it would be impossible to kill you once you fused with the Hogyoku. The only other way to end this was to create a powerful enough kido to seal you away. This is the end result."

"Ha...You think Kido can stop me? I am still evolving further. You pathetic little tricks are no match for-" Aizen's face-plate shattered revealing his regular face beneath. The un-natural colour drained from his eyes and his skin returned to a healthy flesh colour. "What...what is happening to me?" He let out a roar of anguish as his body returned to normal.

"The power...It is disappearing! Why?"

Urahara stared straight through Aizen. "The Hogyoku has refused you as its master."

"No!"

"The only reason the seal activated was because you got weaker. The Hogyoku no longer acknowledges you as its master. Without it you cannot stop the seal."

Aizen snarled like a wild beast. "Never! I am the Hogyoku's master! I will never – AAAARRGH!"

Great spears of light pierced his body. Pale white tendrils closed around him, sealing him inside. He let out one last roar of unrelenting outrage before he was sealed away.

Ichigo and Urahara stared at the empty space before them for a while before either of them spoke.

"Ichigo, you did the right thing."

Ichigo frowned and looked away.

"You saved everyone's lives. There is no reason to be sad."

Ichigo overheard running footsteps. He glanced over his shoulder to see his friends rushing up to him.

"Ishida, Sado, Orihime, Renji, Rukia. You're all safe..." Ichigo sighed contentedly.

"We're fine. It's you we're worried about." Rukia snapped.

"Ichigo...It really is you..." Orihime whimpered.

"Huh? Oh yeah, my hair is a little longer, but it's still me." Ichigo smiled. He rose to his feet and made to approach them but he ended up toppling over. They assumed he was just exhausted but when he started screaming they knew something was wrong.

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki-Kun!"

"Kurosaki!"

Ichigo writhed about on the ground. His body contorted in agony and he let out a scream of utter pain. "AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"


	2. Emptiness

Since some of you didn't understand before, parts of this are identical to the manga as it provides a foothold for things to come. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and please review. Your support drives me to write. 

_**2...Emptiness**_

Ichigo awoke with a start. He looked around and found all his friends by his side still, though he could no longer feel hard dirt beneath him, it was a soft sheet. There was no bright blue sky, instead a ceiling with flaking paint.

"Huh? This is...My house?"

Rukia stepped forward. "You've been out cold for a whole month..."

"A month? Ah, that's right! My powers are-" He stopped himself from saying it out loud, partly because he didn't believe it, well at least he didn't _want _to believe it.

Rukia bowed her head. "We heard from Urahara. You have lost your shinigami powers. Soon every trace of spiritual power you have will disappear forever." Her expression was indication enough that this was real.

Ichigo frowned. "I know...That's what I heard too." He caught a glimpse out the window, at the bright blue sky. "Can I go outside?"

As he stepped into the open air he felt the breeze rush up against his skin. He heard the rustling of leaves all around him, the sounds of life. All of his senses were working...Except for one. He couldn't feel any spiritual presence. He frowned and turned to Rukia.

She stared right back at him. The same thoughts were running through their heads. They both knew what was bound to happen.

Ichigo noticed Rukia was beginning to fade away from sight like a sand-sculpture in strong winds. She was beginning to shimmer like a reflection on water, a perfect image of something beyond his grasp. Little by little she was disappearing. The warmth he always felt around her was beginning to cool down, the fires of passion extinguished by fate.

"So this is goodbye then..." Ichigo said softly.

Rukia smiled. "What's with that face? You may not be able to see me but I can always see you! There is no reason to be sad."

"That's not good at all! And I'm not sad."

The two stood together, alone in the middle of the street. Ichigo felt now was a better time than any to say goodbye. They gazed into each others eyes, standing so close that they were almost touching. They both wanted the moment to never end. They wanted to remain together until time stopped, until the world ceased existing, but time was running out. Rukia's fading image was more terrifying than Aizen ever was.

Ichigo smiled weakly. "Bye Rukia..."

Rukia nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. She could not say it, even when it was her final chance. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing in his warmth for the last time, even if he could not feel it back. She sobbed into his chest, non-existent tears that landed on Ichigo and vanished without leaving a trace.

Ichigo reached out to embrace her but his hands touched nothing but air. She was now just a mirage, a true ghost. He would never again hold her in his arms...

He overheard Rukia's voice as quiet as the wind carrying over to his ears, fading ever more with every word.

"Ichigo...I...I always..." The last word was so quiet he couldn't make it out. Rukia's beautiful gleaming eyes disappeared. She was well and truly gone.

It was over...

Life lost all meaning...

Ichigo felt empty inside, as if a part of him had just vanished in the blink of an eye...

Ichigo gazed up at the sky. "Thank you." He stood there a moment, his knees trembling. In no time he was unable to support himself and he dropped to his knees. He did not get angry. He did not curse the world that had robbed him. He merely sat in the gutter and wept.

* * *

Rukia was still there. She watched every second as his heart was torn out and thrown to the dirt. She watched as his eyes changed, the joy in his chocolate orbs had suddenly departed, leaving nothing but emptiness and grief.

It hurt to watch him like this. To spare them both she turned her back and walked off. She could still feel him even when se was several blocks away. His familiar presence would stick with her always, a grim reminder, a carrot dangled in front of her, but always out of reach.

She ran as far as she could, until she was on the outskirts of town, by the river-side. She sat on the bank and gazed out at the rippling waters that ran downstream. She saw her reflection and also saw Ichigo beside her.

She spun around and reached out to touch him but she merely fell into the soft green grass. She curled up in a ball and sighed. Already her mind was so overcome with grief it was playing tricks on her.

_Come on...Ichigo would have wanted you to be strong...Ichigo would want to see you smile...But...Can I ever smile again?_

Rukia dusted herself off and summoned a senkai gate. She took one last glance at Karakura town and then strolled through the portal to Soul Society.

* * *

Ichigo sat alone in his room, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had asked his friends to leave him alone for a while. He had a lot to think about. His life was no longer the life he imagined. The times of slaying hollows and protecting the innocent were now over. Even the interaction with ghosts was now impossible.

What was there to live for now? His reason for standing tall in times of crisis was to protect people. If he was no longer able to protect them, how could he face them? A knight without his armour is just a man...

No matter how hard he tried to steer his mind away from it, he kept thinking about Rukia. Her absence was torture and yet it had barely been an hour. Already he was feeling withdrawal symptoms, like an addict. Only his desire was not to slowly kill himself, but to fill the hole in his heart.

Unfortunately, nothing would bring her back now. The ultimate sacrifice was not his powers...It was Rukia.

Worse still, he never caught her final message. The soft whisper that was carried away by the wind before her touching words could reach him. If only he could see her one last time just to let her say what she wanted. To hear the words that were trapped deep within her soul, unable to escape until their final moments together.

Ichigo glanced over at the empty cupboard and sighed. He walked over and slid the door open. Rukia's school uniform was folded neatly on top of the mattress. Ichigo bowed his head and closed the door, unable to look at it anymore.

Everywhere he looked there were reminders of Rukia. Even in things that weren't related. Just looking into the blue sky he could see her face drifting behind the clouds. When he stared at his hands he envisioned hers clasping around them, squeezing gently, urgently...

It was becoming unbearable. He couldn't spend his life grieving over Rukia. He had to get on with her life. The world did not stop turning just because he was feeling down. Ichigo Kurosaki was no longer a substitute shinigami. He was a human. And Humans lived human lives...He just had to accept it and live the life he was meant to live.

Rukia had met him by chance. He became a shinigami through a twist of fate. Maybe it was all just a freak accident. Maybe he was destined to live as a mere human...Maybe Rukia would have been better off without ever meeting him. Soul Society never would have tried to execute her. Aizen never would have betrayed them all. The heart-ache and pain never would have occurred. Everyone would just be happy...

Life would have been good if only Ichigo had remained a human. Maybe this was for the best...

* * *

With Aizen sealed away and buried underground in the darkest depths of the deepest dungeon, the citizens of Sereitei could focus on rebuilding their forces. It did not take long for the world to run smoothly again.

While rehabilitating from their terrible injuries, the captains coped as best they could with the workload. They pushed their lingering doubts aside and focused on moving forward. Aizen was gone for now at least and that meant life went on as usual. There was no time to be wallowing in the past.

Hollows were still appearing in the real world. Souls were still waiting to be sent on. There was work to do. Souls to protect.

In a wide open courtyard, two captains drank their fill of sake. The two captains were Shunsui Kyouraku and Jushiro Ukitake. They watched the blossoms drop from the trees while drinking. They had fought hard to experience the tranquil peace that resulted from Aizen's defeat. Now, with all the troubles behind them they could finally sit back and have some sake.

Kyouraku was on the verge of tears when he took a sip of the stuff. His cheeks went red and he chuckled softly. "I have not tasted a drop in so long...I'm so happy!"

"Then why are you crying?" Ukitake asked with a smile.

The two shared a laugh and raised a toast to their victory.

They were soon joined by another friendly face, though this one seemed less joyful. She wore a disheartened frown as she trudged up to her superiors. The blonde girl kneeled beside her captain.

"Captain Ukitake, Rukia has returned." She reported in a timid voice.

Ukitake sighed. "I suppose she is rather sad at this time?"

Kiyone nodded.

"Ah...She adored Kurosaki Ichigo...A shame they had to part. She must have felt a connection since he resembled that other boy..." He trailed off and hurriedly downed his share of sake before rising to his feet. "I had better go see to her. I cannot stand around when my fellow warriors are down. I'm sorry, Kyouraku. We shall have to have our drinking match another time."

Kyouraku groaned. "Very well. Go off then. Tell Rukia I am sorry for her loss."

"He isn't dead!" His own assistant, Nanao Ise scolded. "Ichigo Kurosaki has merely lost his powers making it impossible for him to see spirits anymore. That means Rukia can no longer talk to him and nor will she ever be seen by him again. That is why she is upset."

Kyouraku bowed his head. "It is sad, yes, but Ichigo did what he had to do. He has brought peace to our world and his through the sacrifice of his own powers. Although he may no longer be one of us, we have enough manpower to manage on our own. Anyway, now he can live the life of an ordinary human. He will be happy."

* * *

Urahara perched on the timber railing outside his store, scanning the setting sun with vague interest. Orange clouds drifted past, slowly disintegrating into the blood red sky. It was a stunning sight, but Kisuke was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice it.

The sense of calm that had passed over the town had brought a sense of unease to the ex-captain. He may have been the only one keeping himself on guard at the moment. Aizen may have been defeated but that did not mean the hollows would stop hunting down souls. It did not mean that no more threats would ever come up. Such a notion was utter madness.

"Hey, Kisuke. Enjoying the view?" It was his close fried, Isshin Kurosaki. Despite looking only in his middle ages he had been alive for several hundred years.

Urahara did not look away from the glowing golden orb of the sun. "You came all the way to visit me. You must have something on your mind."

"You can read me like a book." Isshin remarked snidely. His expression hardened suddenly and his calm exterior vanished. "Ichigo has lost his powers."

Urahara was silent for a while but eventually he muttered under his breath. "Yes."

"So, I wonder how long until it returns? I waited twenty years for my powers to return but Ichigo will be too busy then. He'll have lived so much of his life that he won't be able to stop and return to fighting hollows."

"Yes, I understand your concerns. Ichigo may become too accustomed to his life as a human. He may forget what he has learned. He may lose his incredible strength. His resolve may have disappeared by then..." Urahara bowed his head. "I sincerely hope his powers return before he moves on. Ichigo is a warrior at heart and so he must remain. He was born to fight and he is destined to die fighting."

"Well, I was hoping that Ichigo would never really inherit any of my spiritual powers. When I abandoned mine and married Masaki I hoped we could just live as a regular family. That all changed the night Masaki was killed. It was that night that my senses sharpened again. It was then that my powers began to creep back, little by little." Isshin's expression darkened and his eyes became glowing embers in the early evening light.

"I think I know what you are saying..." Urahara replied.

"Of course you do. If Ichigo is like me...then it will take something drastic to bring his powers back...But I sure hope nothing like that ever happens. We don't need another Aizen to stir up any more trouble. If we can live in peace for just a little while it will do wonders for us all."

Urahara hummed a deep tune and stared up at the sky. "Will there ever be peace? In a world like this, conflict is everywhere. Whether it is the heart or the sword, they are always tied in battle. If only peace existed..." Urahara trailed off and gazed up at the dark sky.

The sun had fled and the veil of darkness had crept over the world like a black sheet.

"Ah, even the sun and moon are locked in battle, fighting for the right to rule the skies...Even nature knows no peace...It won't be long before blood is shed..."


	3. Life Goes On

_**3...Life Goes On**_

Ichigo rose from his bed and yawned. He shuffled over to the cupboard and opened the door, expecting to find Rukia curled up inside. Instead, there was just a spare mattress. Ichigo sighed and leaned against the cupboard door, trying to regain his composure.

He had grown used to his morning routine. It would be a while before he stopped trying to wake up his room-mate.

He felt sick. His stomach was clenching and waves of pain coursed through his body. He doubled over and slide down the door until he was sitting on the floor beside Rukia's makeshift bed. This ordeal was killing him. How long could he last? How long until he went insane? Until he couldn't cope anymore?

Ichigo cursed and slapped himself in the forehead, angry at himself for having such thoughts. He couldn't let this tear him down. He had to stay strong, so that one day he and Rukia could meet again...

Ichigo fought off the stabbing pain in his stomach and got dressed. He staggered down the stairs and walked straight out the door, not even stopping to have breakfast. He just wanted to be alone...

He stared down at his feet while he walked, losing himself in its oddly hypnotic spell. His mind was like a shipwreck, little fragments drifting by in a disorganized, broken mess. Nothing made sense and nothing tied together.

It was a difficult task trying to piece the mess of thought together, like a shattered vase. He became lost in the cryptic messages and failed to notice someone in front of him. He absent-mindedly bumped into him and the two fell over one another.

Ichigo sat up and cursed his own negligence. He paid no attention to the person he ran into and instead just walked away without a word.

"Hey! Wait!" The stranger called. His footsteps were fast and light; He was running to catch up.

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder with cold eyes. They were dead to all but his sorrows.

The stranger was a boy only around his age with shoulder-length black hair which jutted out in wild spikes. His eyes were an odd shade of brown, almost red. He wore the same uniform as Ichigo, yet he had never seen him before in his life. He had to be a new student. Just another human...

Ichigo rolled his eyes and made to walk off but the boy persisted in following alongside. "Hey! You must go to Karakura high! This is my first day here."

Ichigo made a deep humming sound, feigning interest.

"My name is Taru."

"I never asked." Ichigo replied blankly.

"Ah, well...I thought maybe we could be friends?"

Ichigo didn't answer, he just sped up. Taru hurried up to catch him again. "Come on, is it because I'm the new kid?" The question was answered with silence. "You seem depressed..."

Ichigo stoped dead in his tracks.

"You've lost someone. I can tell. Your soul cries out for someone..."

Ichigo whirled around and grabbed Taru by the collar. He lifted him up and stared deep into his eyes. "Who are you?"

"I just told you! I'm Taru-"

"Don't play dumb with me! Who sent you?" Ichigo growled.

Taru raised his hands in protest. "I-I don't know what you're talking about! I wasn't sent here by anybody!"

"I'm not falling for that trick! What are you? A shinigami? An arrancar? Have you come to finish me off? Is that it?"

Taru punched Ichigo in the face and was released. He dropped to the ground and coughed violently as the air slowly returned to his lungs. He looked up at Ichigo with an expression of absolute horror and then ran off.

Ichigo watched him go and sat down in the gutter, cradling his head in his hands. "What is wrong with me? I just attacked someone for no reason. I'm becoming paranoid!"

"Paranoid?" A familiar voice repeated uncertainly. Tatsuki sat down beside him and hugged her knees. "What's up Ichigo?"

"Tatsuki...I...It's...Nothing." Ichigo averted his gaze.

"Don't play dumb with me. I was there Ichigo. I saw you. I know all about it now. You sacrificed your powers to save everyone. Urahara told me. But what's the big deal? Now you don't have to fight. Now you can live like a regular kid."

"I'm not a regular kid. I'm not like you. I can't go back to just being a normal teenager. It's not that simple. I lost more than just a sword. I lost my way of life...I lost my purpose in life...And worst of all, I lost Rukia..."

"Rukia? How?"

"Only people with spiritual powers can see shinigami. By sacrificing those powers, she disappeared from my life." Ichigo bowed his head.

"Oh...I didn't realise..." Tatsuki muttered. "I guess I was just being selfish. I was kind of happy to hear it."

Ichigo glanced up at her, a scowl on the rise.

"I thought if you were unable to fight those monsters...Maybe we could be friends again...You might be able to talk to me again. There would be no more lies or excuses. I thought I would be able to trust you again..."

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but words failed him. He just stared dumbfounded at his friend.

"I never realised it would hurt you in such a way...I was only thinking about myself. I'm a terrible friend." Tatsuki felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Ichigo was trying to smile at her, but it was a losing battle.

"You are a good friend Tatsuki. I'm glad you are by my side. I'm sorry I lied to you. I bet you felt abandoned...With Rukia gone, I finally understand how it must have felt for you. All those months spent alone, waiting for us to return...Maybe you can help me?"

Tatsuki grinned. "Of course. But right now we had better hurry before we're late." She jumped up and then grabbed Ichigo's arm, dragging him up as well. They both started running for the school, racing the clock to beat the bell.

Ichigo felt a wave of nostalgia hit him just then. Tatsuki and Ichigo, both racing each other to get to school first, to get there before classes started...It reminded him of a simpler time before he was involved with Soul Society and hollows. A time when he was just a boy...A normal teenage boy...

* * *

Ichigo pushed himself to place his sorrows aside. He had to try and focus on school, at least for the few hours he was here, and then he could torture himself with his problems later. It was difficult however, to forget someone who played such an important role in his life.

Rukia had been the pillar that kept his fragile world standing strong. Without it, everything was unstable. The difference was so noticeable.

Rukia's seat still rested beside him. The empty chair was soon occupied by a faded vision of the girl he adored. Rukia sat there, a beaming smile on her face. She raised her hand and called out an answer to a question and then giggled when she found out she was correct. She glanced over at Ichigo and gloated about her intelligence. Then she disappeared back within Ichigo's mind.

_Damn it! Everywhere I look I am reminded of her! I have to think of something else! Anything at all, just as long as it keeps me occupied._

Miss Oichi strolled in the room and instantly the confident air that enveloped her reached the students, making them sit up straight, if only to slouch again as soon as she turned to write on the board.

She wrote her name on the board and then stared straight at Ichigo. "This is just in case you forget."

Ichigo frowned at her, unsure of what she meant.

"You've been gone for months Ichigo. I'm surprised you actually came to school today. I thought you would be too busy with your teen problems to deal with a few hours of learning." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Life must be so hard for you. Dealing with the daily tortures of schoolwork and precariously balancing your social life as well. It must be an ordeal for you Kurosaki."

The class turned on him and laughed. Ichigo laughed along with them, momentarily forgetting his problems. But then he was pushed too far.

"Not to mention having to come here without your little girlfriend draped over your shoulders. It must be awful having to spend a few hours out of her arms." Miss Oichi smirked. "Am I right, Mr Kurosaki?" She opened her eyes and Ichigo was gone. "Huh? Where did he go?"

Tatsuki ran out the room at that moment.

"Oh, now Tatsuki is running off? First it was Ichigo, then Rukia and Chad and Orihime and Uryu. Now it is her. What's wrong with this class?" Miss Oichi slumped over her desk and sighed. "Oh well. Let's just get on with it..."

* * *

Tatsuki sat outside the door to the male toilets. She leaned against the wall and stared at the lockers across from her.

"Ichigo, come on! You can't keep sulking whenever someone mentions Rukia. You have to be tough, if not for your own sake then at least do it for her!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Ichigo snapped. "How dare she speak about her like that?"

"She was joking." Tatsuki explained. "Anyway, how is she supposed to know what happened? For all she cares every time you and Rukia ran off she suspected you were just making out somewhere. She doesn't know anything about what you really did."

"I know that!" Ichigo yelled. "But she shouldn't have said that!"

"Look, Miss Oichi is never one to be sensitive. She just likes to joke around, even if it takes her students down a peg or two. It's just the way she acts. Now come out of there and let's go back to class."

She was answered with silence.

"Ichigo?" She asked fearfully.

The door opened and Ichigo stepped out, his face a mess of conflicted emotion. He was lost somewhere between rage and grief. He took a deep breath and his shoulders rose and fell with it. Then he turned to Tatsuki and bowed his head.

"Thanks...I was acting stupid..."

"So you haven't changed then?" Tatsuki replied with a smile.

Ichigo wanted to laugh, but the sound that came out was an awkward grunting noise. The two of them returned to class, ignoring the whispers and stares of the classmates.

Miss Oichi didn't even take noticed, too engrossed in her lecture about Japan's involvement in the world wars. She didn't even look at them as they came in and she didn't speak a word to either of them for the entire lesson.

* * *

At lunch Ichigo and Tatsuki sat up on the roof. Keigo and Mizuiro were both absent. Chad, Uryu and Orihime were also absent, their reasons unknown.

Tatsuki gazed up at the bright blue sky and frowned. "Maybe they are fighting hollows? With you out of the picture it's up to them to protect the town now..."

"Yeah." Ichigo muttered, staring distastefully at his sandwich. He took two bites and then threw it in the bin, not hungry enough to eat any more.

"So, are you free this afternoon?" Tatsuki asked casually.

Ichigo frowned at her, not comprehending the question, so she repeated herself. He still didn't answer.

"I just though if you weren't busy we could go do something...Like we used to before you were tangled up in this mess."

Ichigo nodded silently.

"Is that a yes? Because I thought we could go see a movie or something. We haven't done that in almost a year."

"A year? So that's how long it's been...I remember it as if it was just yesterday. The night my life was changed forever..."

"So do you wanna go?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Sure. It's about time I hung out with you after school. You must have been bored out of your mind without us all."

Tatsuki laughed. "Like you wouldn't believe. I had to spar by myself. My punching bag had to be fixed on a weekly basis."

Ichigo chuckled along with her. "And without Orihime to cook for you? That must have been terrible."

"Yeah. I had to cook for myself. It may be hard to believe but it was worse than the things she used to make."

The two of them laughed for some time. A little bit of colour returned to Ichigo's cheeks and his scowl was momentarily set aside for a smile, but the short moment of joy came to an abrupt end when a teacher suddenly interrupted them.

"Kurosaki. Principals office now!"


	4. Regular Life?

_**4...Regular Life?**_

Ichigo found himself at home in the principal's office. It reminded him of his rough beginnings at this school and the numerous fights he had got himself caught in. He would always be brought in here and questioned by their ageing principal and always Ichigo would give the same excuse: "They started it"

When that didn't work Ichigo would just smile and say, "Why am I in trouble? I won didn't I?" It would always bring a smile to his face and then he would be thrust into detention or Isshin would be called.

He had never cared about the fights. He was always defending himself and so he never felt the reason to be wary of authority. He would act like a sarcastic punk to them and get off relatively Scot free.

Now however, he felt a little uneasy. He had a slight idea of why he was brought here and his suspicions were confirmed when the new kid walked through the door.

Taru sat down opposite Ichigo, a scowl on his face. The principal sat next to him, his greyed whiskers jutting out his face like antenna. His eyes were set deep within fleshy craters that had formed as his skin grew around his thick framed spectacles.

"Kurosaki. First day back and already you are in trouble. Just when I thought you had found your way back on track this comes up."

Ichigo stared blankly at the old man. "What's the matter?"

"You know that already, boy. You attacked our new student and threatened him with violence. Further more you scared him so much he wouldn't go to class and instead had to spend the entire lesson in my office filling out harassment reports!"

"I'm sorry sir, but I-"

"This is unacceptable! It was hard enough to let you slip by with your unexplained, month-long absences but I put it aside and decided to let you go, but now you have gone too far! I won't have you starting fight again you hear me!"

Ichigo averted his gaze. "I'm going through some heavy stuff at the moment..."

"It's not July. You can't play that trick on me again." The principal yelled.

"It's not that...I just...I...It's complicated."

"Shinigami." The principal said softly.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Shinigami. Death gods. You accused Taru here of being a shinigami to justify your behaviour. I don't know what could incite such hallucinations, but I am starting to become wary of you Ichigo. If I find out you are involved with something against the law then I will have to punish you for it."

"I don't take drugs!" Ichigo snapped.

"I never said drugs." The principal remarked snidely.

"I'm not an idiot! I know what you meant!"

The principal threw his arms to his sides and tilted his head to one side. "Well, it is the only way I can understand you flipping out and thinking a regular boy is the spectre of death. What else would you suggest?"

"You wouldn't understand." Ichigo snarled.

"That's it. I'm going to ring your father. Get out of my sight and don't get yourself sent here again, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear sir!" Ichigo beamed with underlying sarcasm. He walked out, all the while feeling a piercing glare in his back.

* * *

Outside, Tatsuki was waiting. She folded her arms and stared expectantly at her friend as he strolled out. "What was that about?"

Ichigo sighed. "I threatened the new kid. I just snapped and then I was holding him by the throat and screaming at him. I didn't know what came over me."

Tatsuki whistled. "That's pretty harsh. What's your punishment?"

"Dad's getting called. I'm sure he'll understand though."

"Yeah." Tatsuki nodded. "Grief can make you do strange things."

Ichigo stared off into space. "So...Are we still seeing a movie after school?"

* * *

Ichigo studied his reflection in the mirror. For once he was not wearing a shihakusho. He felt like a normal kid for the first time in so long. This would be the first time he left the house without a sword in ages. He was almost compelled to take a knife with him just to be safe, but then he remembered he had no spiritual powers.

Hollows would no longer be attracted to him. He was no longer a target to whatever enemies showed up. He was just another one of the mortals, oblivious to the battles around them, content with the belief that the mysterious explosions were gas leaks and such...

He noticed the cupboard and felt a sinking feeling within his heart, but he quickly took his eyes off of it and went to the window. Tatsuki was waiting outside. Ichigo put one leg out the window and sat on the windowsill.

Going downstairs would involve passing his dad and even if he wasn't in trouble, there was a lecture involved that he did not have the time to hear at the moment. It would be best to confront him later. For now, he was going to the movies.

He and Tatsuki strolled down the abandoned paths to the cinema. The only signs of life were the cars which roared past them. It was getting a little too dark for people to be out walking, the sun setting earlier than usual. They took a shortcut through a few backyards and wound up outside the theatre where a line of teenagers were waiting to get in.

"This movie must be good..." Ichigo muttered.

Tatsuki chuckled. "Of course. I picked it didn't I? Of course it's good!"

Ichigo nodded. Tatsuki sometimes had the mind of a red-blooded male and so she loved action films laden with gunfights and explosions and the like. It came in handy when she chose movies for their group to see.

They waited for what seemed like forever, slowly shuffling along the line, edging close and closer to the cinema. It took far too long, but Ichigo knew he needed a night out to try and clear his head. To passers by it might just seem like two friends going out to see a movie, but in reality it was more of a therapy session.

When they finally made it inside they blended into the darkness and sank into their padded chairs. They tuned out to the real world and forgot about all of their problems, if only it was just for one night...

The movie was filled with gunfights, car chases and explosions. All the things that put a devilish smile on any male's face. It worked a treat with Ichigo and he was acting like himself for the entirety of the movie. The treatment had worked.

The credits rolled down the screen and the two companions left the theatre and began to walk home.

"So, did I pick a winner or what?" Tatsuki asked with a grin.

"Thanks Tatsuki. I needed something to cheer me up...I guess it worked."

"No problem. I've grown to accept the perma-scowl but seeing the sadness in your eyes is quite different. I'll make sure you don't make that face ever again!" Tatsuki patted him on the shoulder. "It's a promise." She added with confidence.

Ichigo smiled at her and then froze. He glanced over his shoulder and stared at the empty street behind them.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Tatsuki whirled around too.

"Never mind." Ichigo shrugged. "I just thought someone was following us..."

"Well don't freak me out like that!" Tatsuki whined. "Now isn't the time for stupid games like that."

"Sorry." Ichigo muttered. "Well, come on. Let's get going." The joy in his voice was replaced with the serious Ichigo that she knew all too well. He may not be jumping with joy, but at least he's still behaving like he usually did. It still counted as an improvement in her eyes.

They hurried home and then went their separate ways to each other's homes.

Ichigo drifted in through the front door where his father was waiting, sitting on the couch and drinking a glass of scotch.

"Out with Tatsuki huh?"

Ichigo hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yeah. We saw a movie."

"That's good. You need to be happy...Otherwise you'll go mad." Ichigo could already see where this was going. He took a seat opposite his father and sighed.

"Is this about what I did at school?"

Isshin was silent, but his stare was answer enough. "Ichigo, I know you are upset but you cannot take your rage out on innocent people."

"I know that. I just had a momentary lapse of judgement, nothing serious."

"Ichigo. You may have once been a shinigami, but now you are just a regular boy. You have to watch whose toes you step on or it could cost you."

"But it was just some annoying kid-"

"What about his parents? His friends? For all you know one of them could have powers and they could strike you when you least expect it! This case may not be such a serious matter, but you cannot let it happen again. Next time could be your last." Isshin was dead serious.

"Very well. I promise it won't happen again. Now can I go now?"

Isshin closed his eyes and nodded. He listened to Ichigo's feet as they padded up along the hall and ascended the stairs. When he was gone he put his glass down and groaned.

"Ichigo...Be careful..."

* * *

Urahara dusted the shelves in the front room of his store. He yawned and inadvertently inhaled a cloud of dust, causing him to cough violently. He doubled over and spluttered for a moment before he returned to his task.

'tap, tap, tap'

He glanced up from his work to the boy standing in the open doorway. The sun was behind him, veiling his body in shadow but his eyes seemed to be glowing and stood out like embers in the abyss.

"Hello there, welcome to the Urahara Shoten. How may I help you?"

The boy didn't answer. Instead he turned his head towards one of the shelves and strolled casually towards it. He stared at the candy in an unusual trance.

"Excuse me? Are you alright?"

"No." The boy uttered ever so quietly.

"Well...May I ask what is the matter?"

"My brothers and sisters were killed..."

Urahara's heart sank. "How awful...What happened to them?"

"They were...murdered."

"My, that is truly horrible. If there is anything I can do for you-"

"There is one thing." The boy whispered, cutting Kisuke off mid-sentence. His eyes suddenly blazed with unnatural light and his body was enveloped in a red aura. "You can lay down your life and surrender."

Urahara's eyes narrowed and he moved to draw his sword from his cane, but the boy was upon him in the blink of an eye. He placed a hand over Urahara's cane, preventing the sword from being drawn. With the other he struck the store owner with the back of his hand.

Urahara flew into the rear wall and fell through. He coughed up dust from the dry-wall and glared up at his opponent. "Who...Are you?"

The boy grinned mercilessly and let out a deep chuckle. "My name is Taru."


	5. Moments of Weakness

_**5...Moments of Weakness**_

Rukia sat alone in her quarters. She sat by the door, peering out through the cracks at the silvery moonlight that coated the garden at night. It was a beautiful sight, but even its grandeur could not stray her mind from the one she left behind.

Ichigo's absence consumed her thoughts. She wondered whether he had moved on, whether he was getting worse? She wanted to see him, even if it was just to reassure herself that at least she can still see him, but Ukitake had advised against such actions. After all, the last time she snuck out to check on a loved one it ended in disaster.

She was concerned for Kaien Shiba's safety. She had gone in search of him. She did find him...Or at least what had once been him. Now it was a monster. She had to kill him out of mercy. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done, yet just saying goodbye to Ichigo had eclipsed that nightmarish night.

_Why is it so…?_

She wondered.

_Why do I feel for Ichigo in such a way? Is it because he reminds me of Kaien? Is it because he is so kind? Is it for protection? Why do I feel such torment over his loss?_

She sighed and looked up at the moon. A Hell Butterfly fluttered past and entered the room. She followed it with her eyes and stared at the senkai gate which opened before her.

"What? Who is coming to see me at this hour?" Rukia mused out loud.

The gate opened and two figures stepped out. They were both dressed in shihakusho but they were unfamiliar faces. Even more odd was the black, bony masks that were attached to their faces. One was a boy, the other a girl. The man had a bony ridge which appeared to be a lower jaw of sorts attached to his forehead, with the fangs facing up to the sky. The girl had a row of fangs over each eye instead of eyelashes and a strip of charcoal-coloured bone ran down her left cheek.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked uncertainly.

The girl made a light giggling sound before she flash-stepped over to Rukia and clenched her fingers around her throat.

Rukia tried to cry out but the air was cut off and all that came out was a strangled squeak. She was powerless to stop her as the female foe lifted her up to her feet.

"Rukia Kuchiki right?" She asked in a voice tinged with venom. "We've got plans for you. But first things first, how about you get some rest?"

Before she could protest she was hurled into the wall. Her head collided against it with a heavy thud and she slumped against the wall, barely conscious.

Her last thoughts before she blacked out were:

_Those masks...Are they...Arrancars?_

_

* * *

_

Urahara staggered to his feet and wrenched the blade from his cane. He kept his gaze on his young opponent as he held the sword in front of him in a defensive gesture.

_Something is not right here...This boy had no reiatsu earlier yet now it is overpowering! How could he possibly hide it? To suppress such power...I must be careful._

"Urahara Kisuke, the fallen captain of squad twelve. To think someone like you could defeat Aizen. It is laughable."

"How do you know of Aizen? Are you one of his minions?" Kisuke asked.

Taru pointed his blade at Urahara and laughed. A sinister note which made him shudder. "Aizen was a fool! He may have created us but he was incapable of leading us. All shinigami are the same. Even if he was on our side he was still a worthless Soul reaper at heart. That is why he lost. That is why so many of my brothers and sisters are dead!"

"So you're an Arrancar then?"

"Yes. I assume you know of our kind. However I bet Aizen never told you about his Espada Oscuras."

"Espada...Oscuras?" Kisuke repeated uncertainly.

"We are a special unit. Aizen kept us hidden as reserve units. He told us to hide until the moment was right. But he never gave the signal because he grew drunk on his own power and charged into the fray alone. That is why he is rotting in a prison now! Well, Aizen can stay there for all I care, but now it is our turn to strike!"

"You think you can defeat us? The other Espada were dealt with easily enough. What makes you think you can win?" Urahara tried to intimidate his foe, but he knew it was pointless.

Taru grinned. "We have waited for so long. We knew that Aizen was careless. We knew it was only a matter of time until he slipped up and ruined everything for himself. We knew he was never going to win. But we also knew that Aizen would not go down without a fight. Although you have defeated him the war has dealt a severe blow to Soul Societies forces."

"So you intend to strike when we are still recovering?" Urahara figured it out. "You foresaw everything up to Aizen's defeat and were planning for this day..."

"Exactly. The Espada Oscuras were supposed to be Aizen's reinforcements when the battle became too heated, but even Aizen knew he would never call on us for help. We were aware of that and so we decided to forget about our master's ambitions and create our own. There are not enough of us to take on the Gotei 13 at full strength and so we have waited until Soul Society is at its weakest. Now is a better time than ever to strike."

Urahara frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I see no reason not to. You always liked being informed on everything. It is natural since you are from the twelfth squad. That is why I am telling you this."

"Taru. That's your name isn't it? Why aren't you in Soul Society? If that is your target-"

"I have already sent a few of my comrades as a welcoming party. But a full scale war would be suicidal even now. We are going to start off by cutting your army down a bit. That includes eliminating those who have a nasty habit of showing up uninvited!"

"You bastard! You intend to wear us down with sneak attacks. Such is the coward's way out!"

"Maybe so, but at least the coward shall win. Now choke on your words Urahara!" Taru vanished.

Urahara blinked and when his eyes re-opened Taru was bringing his sword down upon his head. Urahara crouched down and lifted his sword to catch the brunt of the hit. He then pushed him back and shot off a low level kido from his fingertips. Taru swatted the weak blast aside with his sword and then dashed forward for another attack.

Kisuke leapt up into the air but Taru anticipated it and jumped up to meet him. Their blades crossed though Urahara was the one thrown back down to the floor. He hit the floor-boards hard and they splintered under the impact.

He had little time to concern himself with though as the scimitar was sailing straight for his head. Urahara rolled out of the way and lashed out with his feet, kicking Taru full in the chest. He not only kicked him, but also launched him into the air. Taru back flipped into a crouch and took a moment to catch his breath.

"You are a good fighter."

"Thank you." Urahara bowed. "Though I don't much care for the comments of lowly hollows."

"Lowly hollows? I shall make you pay for that Kisuke!" Taru charged again though this time he vanished in mid stride and turned up behind his opponent. Urahara ducked under the horizontal slice and thrust his elbow into the enemy's gut. As Taru staggered back he jabbed his sword at him. The blade only just nicked him, leaving a thin cut which dribbled a few measly drops of blood.

Taru cursed his incompetence and lashed out with a balled fist. He struck Urahara in the jaw and watched him fall back. Before he could recover he stepped on his chest and pinned him to the floor. "You landed a scratch on me. I'll give you that one. But it ends here. Farewell Urahara Kisuke. Do not worry; your friends in Sereitei will soon be joining you in Hell."

Urahara stared at the blade which hovered over his heart and then at his own which lay just out of reach. He had dropped it when he fell over. Now it would cost him...Unless.

Taru's arm muscled tensed and he tightened his grip on his sword. He let out a venomous smirk and roared...

* * *

The two ever-squabbling 3rd seats waited outside Ukitake's quarters. They were guarding it while he was out to finish his drinking match with Kyouraku. They had waited in silence for too long and small talk soon resulted in argument.

It had become too heated and so the two of them split up, Kiyone guarding the front entrance and Sentauro guarding the back.

Kiyone cradled her head in one hand while tracing patterns in the dusty balcony outside the large hut. Her simple-minded task was disrupted by the sound of gravel crunching underfoot. She raised her head to see who was there and noticed a girl with short black hair. It was dark outside and she was barely recognisable.

"Rukia?" Kiyone called.

The girl replied, though it was not Rukia's voice. And when she stepped into the light it was not Rukia's face that was smiling at her. "Hello there. Is the captain in?"

Kiyone frowned. "Sorry, he went out on an...Errand. Come back in the morning."

"Aw, that's a shame. If he isn't here then I'm just gonna have to have fun with you."

Kiyone cocked her head. "Say that again?"

The mysterious girl flicked back her hair and revealed an odd, black bony structure over her left eye. Before it could sink in Kiyone was pushed up against the wall. She tried to cry out but the girl placed a hand over her mouth and nose, preventing her from breathing.

"No screams. You might wake everyone up." The girl giggled menacingly. She pressed down against Kiyone's head, crushing it against the wall. Kiyone's muffled cries fell on deaf ears. Most of the shinigami were asleep and even if they were awake it was useless. Ukitake's hut was in a secluded area, away from the main barracks. Even if she could scream at the top of her lungs it was doubtful anyone would hear.

"I'm Yami. What's your name?"

Kiyone's answer was muffled. Yami rolled her eyes.

"Oh right. You can't talk. Oh well. I guess I'll just skip to the part where I squish your head until it pops." Her devilish laughter sent a chill down Kiyone's spine and she thrashed about in desperation but Yami was incredibly strong. "Stop squirming. It will only make things worse."

Kiyone's head was pushed harder against the wall. Tears were rolling down her eyes as she sobbed silently. An unimaginably painful headache hit her like ten migraines at once. She clawed at the hand that covered her mouth but Yami's grip was unbreakable.

"Hey! Kiyone!" A voice called from around the side of the hut. It was Sentauro's voice. He turned around the corner and froze. "I heard voices and came to check up- What the?" He stared at the assailant and then at Kiyone. "Who the hell are you?"

"That is none of your concern." A deep male voice replied from behind. As the words came out Sentauro could feel breath on the back of his neck. He tried to spin around but before he could face the second assailant a blade was thrust deep into his gut.

Sentauro let out a grunt of pain as he doubled over and fell to his knees.

The male foe wrenched the blade out and ran it across his throat. Sentauro's went wide open as he toppled over backwards. His blank eyes stared up at the moon as his life drained away.

Kiyone wanted to cry out his name, but it was useless. She couldn't move no matter how hard she tried. She was powerless against two incredibly dangerous opponents. Worse still she was utterly alone until sunrise. There was no hope of rescue...She was going to die.

Her heart hammered in her chest, bashing against her ribs like a crazed man in a prison cell. It was pounding so fast it felt like her ribs were breaking under the stress. Every muscle in her body was tensing and then relaxing as if they were breathing. Her head was throbbing and the tears were pooling around her cheeks and flowing back against her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut but a stinging sensation resulted from it and so she had to re-open them.

The male turned to Yami and sighed. "Hurry up and kill her. We have much work to do before sunrise."

Yami pouted. "Aw, but I wanted to play with her a bit!"

"No. She has suffered enough. The trauma to her skull must be quite severe. Even if you left her right now she would pass out and die within an hour or two anyway."

Yami's eyes flickered. "Really?"

The man nodded. "Now hurry up and-"

"Hold on!" Yami interjected. "How about we leave her alive then?"

"What?"

Yami giggled. "We'll let her live. That way she'll suffer more. There's no way she'll be able to crawl back to their main barracks in her state. Even if she can move she'll probably drop in the middle of the forest and die there, alone and in pure agony."

The man groaned. "Very well. Leave her and let us be on our way."

Yami smiled. "See ya!" She slammed Kiyone's had into the wall and then threw her to the floor. "You can scream now, but it won't do much good. You'll be long dead before your captain ever get's back here."

Kiyone stared at the two mysterious warriors as they set off into the night. When they were out of sight she glanced up at the moon and sobbed.


	6. Eternal Slumber

_**6...Eternal Slumber**_

Yami and her companion Shin'en made their way to the main barracks of squad thirteen. All of the soldiers were resting in their quarters, sitting ducks.

"This shall be too easy." Shin'en murmured as he approached the front door. Two men stood guard, their eyes ringed in black. Even if the hadn't been tired they never stood a chance.

Yami cut them both down effortlessly, and the two masked assailants caught their bodies and laid them down gently. Then they slid the door open. Beyond the door were room lined with beds. The shinigami were all sound asleep as expected. Even though they were souls, they still required sleep like a human.

Shin'en drew his Nodachi and then angled the blade down to the sleeping warriors. He ran across the one row which stretched up along the wall, slitting the throats of each and every shinigami there. When he reached the end of the row he cleaned his blade off on the bed sheet closest to him. Thirty shinigami convulsed quietly before going back to sleep, never to wake again.

Yami was far less merciful. She slowly went down her row individually butchering the unwary shinigami. She would hack at their still twitching bodies until they remained still before progressing onto the next unfortunate victim.

When she was through with the majority of the row a girl up the end woke up. She shuffled over to the restroom door and then stopped. She turned slowly and saw the carnage before her. She let out barely a second of an ear-splitting scream before Shin'en pierced her heart.

It was enough, however to wake up a few of the others and once they witnessed the horror they started waking others. A wave of panic washed over the entirety of the thirteenth squad and they either played dead, cried out in fear of desperately fought back. All three options resulted in death.

Shin'en and Yami made short work of the remaining warriors and in a matter of minutes the hall was lined with corpses and blood soaked through the floorboards. The killers fled through a side door and escaped into the night.

* * *

Isshin found his son watching television. Ichigo was lying on the couch staring lifelessly at the flickering screen. A sight that had gone on forgotten since he became a shinigami. Now it would be commonplace.

While Ichigo reverted to the lazy, lounge-about sloth he had once been the task of protecting the innocent souls that wander the earth was a burden that rested on Isshin's shoulders. With his son no longer a shinigami, the job was his.

He cast his gaze on his son and then looked out the window at the striking full moon. "Ichigo, I'm going out. Take care of Yuzu and Karin while I'm gone."

"Fine." Ichigo muttered without even turning his yes from the TV.

Isshin shook his head and stepped outside. The chilling winds hit him hard and his skin prickled instantly. He shuddered for a moment before he brushed it off. When he was ready he set off.

He made his way to the children's park where two hollows were attacking a little girl. She was trembling and her eyes were opened wide, staring at the unnatural creatures that were tormenting her. A long scar ran up from her shoulder to her hip and one arm dangled uselessly by her side, most likely broken.

Isshin cursed under his breath and drew his sword.

"Hey!"

The two foul beasts turned their heads to the intruder.

Isshin swung his sword offensively and spread his legs apart in a fighting stance. "How about you take me on huh? A soul reaper tastes better than a lost soul."

The two hollow nodded to each other. One of them looked like a gigantic bear but with feline facial features. The other stood on two legs and had four long arms which ended in wicked talons. They both charged at once.

Isshin leapt into the air and landed behind the two monsters in a crouch. As he rose back to his feet the bear-like hollow split in two and disintegrated. He spun on his heels and braced himself for the next hit.

The hollow charged blindly, shrieking wildly. Foam flecked its lips and dripped over its fangs. The beast neared him but Isshin gave it no chance. He dashed forth and swung his blade in a horizontal arc, cutting deep into the monster's chest. It staggered back and cried out, leaving itself open to further attack. Isshin leapt up onto the hollow's shoulders and thrust his sword deep into the top of its skull. The hollow squealed as its body disintegrated.

The battle was over in seconds. However he may have arrived a little too late. The girl was badly injured. She would die within no time if she remained here, but in Soul Society she may be able to be saved.

Isshin slowly approached her and smiled. "The monsters are gone now. They can't hurt you where you are going. Please hold still." Isshin performed konso on the child and stood back. She glowed with a blue aura and began to disappear. Isshin waved to her just before she was out of sight. When she was gone his shoulders slumped and he sighed.

"Hmm. Urahara's reiatsu is rising. I wonder if he's training." Isshin rubbed the back of his head. "Oh well. I'm sure he's fine." Isshin flash stepped up onto a rooftop and then proceeded to leap across them like stepping stones on his way home.

* * *

The roof of the Urahara Shoten was blown outwards as a burst of bright blue fire shot up out of Kisuke's palms.

Taru was thrown into the wall and he fell through it, landing on the other side. Rubble clattered down onto him and he swatted it away angrily. He hurriedly pushed himself back on his feet and wiped the dust from his face.

"Clever...I must admit I did not see that one coming. But that little trick will only work once! I won't fall for it again!"

"We'll see." Urahara replied snidely charging head on at his foe. He barged into Taru and knocked him through another wall. They both fell out into the front yard, face down in the dirt. They each scrambled back up and exchanged strikes relentlessly. Their blades clashed with a resounding clang and with each hit sparks burst out and rained down upon the two feuding warriors.

Neither seemed to land a hit on the other. They went on however, aimlessly hitting again and again.

"Come on! Is that all you've got? Are you tired already?"

Urahara sighed and closed his eyes. He swung his sword straight up and the blade glowed red. Taru barely registered the blast that shot off from the sword. It hit him in the side and carved through his body, digging a deep trench that ran from his shoulder down to his hip.

He leapt back to a safe distance and panted heavily. "Curse you Urahara! Yet another one of your underhanded tricks. You are the coward!"

Urahara chuckled. "This is no trick. It is my zanpakuto's ability. I just kept it hidden until the time was right. You became overconfident and thus distracted enough for me to land a decent hit. Now you have little choice but to surrender."

Taru scowled. "You think this is all of my power? I still have my ressureccion! I could crush you like a bug and end this fight in a second!"

"Really? Well maybe you should reserve it for your fight with the shinigami in Soul Society? You don't want to die before you even reach Sereitei."

"Don't insult me! My power is greater than yours! I will kill you!" Taru growled like an enraged lion and charged, sword raised high. His blade crashed down hard against Kisuke's, breaking his guard and knocking him back a few steps.

As Urahara fell back Taru pressed on, swinging his sword towards the opponent's unprotected throat. Urahara only just managed to step back enough to escape the fatal strike. He then fell on his back and rolled away, landing in a crouch a few metres away. He glanced off another blast from Benihime but this time Taru saw it coming and hacked through it with his sword.

_Hmm. He can break down my attacks with just brute strength...Impressive. I'll have to be more careful with this one._

Urahara ran off to the side and waited for Taru to follow. When he did he flash stepped to the opposite side and struck him in the back. Taru rocked forward and appeared to trip, but Urahara only realised what he was doing when it was too late.

Taru dove to the ground and rolled over to face his opponent. He then hurled his sword like a dart. It soared through the air and connected with Urahara's chest. It sank in through flesh and kept going until the point was sticking out of his back.

Urahara froze. His legs seized up and he tripped on his own trembling feet. He landed face first in the dirt and lay still.

* * *

Kiyone dragged herself further through the labyrinthine forest. Her head was heavy and she could barely think. All she could was keep on moving, regardless of the pain and exhaustion. She didn't want to die...Not just yet.

She was struggling to coordinate her body's movements and so she had to perform an awkward, one handed army crawl. The other hung limp by her side. She couldn't feel it, let alone move it.

She dragged her self along the harsh terrain, her stomach lacerated by the dried up twigs and rocks. Her arms were grazed severely and a thin trail of blood was left behind her. It was agonising, but she was determined to find help.

All of Soul Society was in danger. She had to warn them. She had to save them...Even if she couldn't stand against them, she could at least ensure the intruders lost the element of surprise. She had to make sure that Sentauro was the last victim in this surprise raid.

She pushed herself as far as she could, but inevitably she had to stop. She lay flat on her stomach and sobbed pitifully as her body lost all its strength. She was utterly drained now. She couldn't even wipe the tears away.

Just as Yami had said, she was going to die in the middle of the forest where none would ever reach her. She fought off sleep, knowing full well it could be a slumber she would never wake from. She tried to stay awake by biting the inside of her cheek every few minutes, the sharp pain jolting her back into consciousness.

She didn't know how long she just lay there, but it felt like it had been days, however the moon had not yet departed. It was still the same night of the attack.

_Someone...Please...Help..._

Something touched her nose. Her eyes shot open and a drop of water fell into them. She looked up into the darkened canopy, through which she could see dark clouds. Rain was pouring through the leaf cover and pelted her like liquefied bullets. It seeped into her wounds and made the pain intensify. It soaked her skin and clothes and sent chills throughout her body.

The dirt around her became a sloppy mess of mud which she was soon submerged in. The murky brown puddle spread around her and she didn't have the strength to raise her face out of it. She could only turn her head on its side so only half of her face was underwater.

She felt her heartbeat relaxing, even with her body convulsing from the cold. It was impossible to keep her eyes open and soon she lapsed into a restless sleep. She submitted to the pain, the exhaustion and ultimately to defeat.

_Captain Ukitake...I'm...I'm sorry..._

Her world turned black and everything became nothing.

Her battle was over...As would her life...

* * *

Ukitake opened his eyes. He was still out the front of his store. Taru was still waiting there, admiring the moonlight while he waited. He looked back down at his opponent with a bored expression.

"I knew you would wake up. A captain won't die from such wounds."

Urahara scowled. "You...Bastard!"

"You took longer than I expected to wake up. I thought you would be back on your feet in a few minutes but you were out for a few hours." Taru muttered. "You must be getting old?"

Kisuke dug his fingers in the dirt and got on his hands and knees. The pain was unbearable but he was well aware that if Taru was still here then the fight was not yet over. He would have to take up the sword once more and try to fend him off until he gave up. However if he waited several hours just for him to wake up, then there was little hope of him just giving up and running away.

No, he would have to kill Taru. There was no other way around it. This would be the final round. Both were injured, though Taru's wounds failed to bother him now. It was as if he was completely unscathed, yet it was plain to see he had been beaten up a fair bit.

Urahara took his time standing up, not wanting to aggravate the nasty wound on his chest. The hole was beginning to scab over though as soon as he had to move it would re-open and most likely bleed again.

"Taru..."Let's finish this!"

The young boy grinned devilishly. "I was about to say the same thing. I grow bored with your futile attempts to defeat me. I have other people to hunt down before we overthrow Soul Society."

Urahara slowly steadied his sword arm. He assumed a fighting stance and waited.

Taru drew his sword back and smirked. "Come. I'll cut you down and end this battle in one strike!"

Urahara took a deep breath and then charged. He was within a few metres when a Senkai gate opened behind Taru. Urahara was surprised, but he did not stop. He kept running, his sword raised high, poised to bring an end to this battle.

Urahara was only a few steps from striking distance. All he had to do was bring his sword down and he would cleave Taru in two and kill him.

He let out a great battle cry as he tightened his grip on the sword and started to swing it down. However his blade never reached Taru. He was stopped, mid-swing. He felt a blade thrust up through his gut and he stared down at a young girl with an odd black mask over her left eye. Before he could even speak another blade passed through his side.

Taru blocked Urahara's swing with little effort. His two comrades stepped back, wrenching their swords out in the process. Taru then slashed the old shinigami across his chest.

Bright blood spurted out and Urahara's knees started to bend. He hunched over but remained standing. "Damn...Damn...D-" He stopped to cough up blood. He stared at the ominous red puddle at his feet and frowned. "This can't be the end...I...I won't lose to you!" Urahara swung wildly, lashing out with an untrained slash. His sword contacted nothing but air and the three warriors all took turns hacking away at him, breaking him down until he was on his knees.

Taru approached Urahara and grinned. "We will bring down Soul Society and this world shall fall along with it. We will rule over all. We will achieve what Aizen failed to accomplish. This world as you see it will come to an end!"

Urahara said nothing. He just glared at his foe with such undeniable rage and hatred it was almost a weapon in itself.

Taru raised his blade. "It all starts with your death. With you out of the way...And Kurosaki Ichigo too, no-one will be able to stop us!"

Urahara tried to attack, but his arm detached from his shoulder and hit the ground with a hard thud. He lost his balance and fell on his side. Unable to stand, his tormentors stabbed him and kicked him until he drew his last tortured breath.


	7. Broken Down

_**7...Broken Down**_

Ukitake stumbled through the forest on his way back. He stumbled several times, still reeling from his loss in Shunsui's drinking contest. That man could take a whole barrel of sake and not fall. Such a contest was rigged from the start, but nonetheless, a drink with friends was something he had yearned for ever since the battles had begun.

It was a welcome break from the battlefield. This peace had helped seal the wounds that had torn at the warriors of Soul Society. Now was their time to re-build and catch up on the time lost.

The moon was full on this night and it shone with a mesmerizing brilliance that caught the old captain's eye. He stopped and just stared up at the spectacular display in the sky. He stared at it for quite some time, so long that he had lost track of time and forgotten how long he had been standing there.

He would have enjoyed the moonlight longer had he not been alerted to the gentle sounds of sobbing. He turned his head in the direction of the sound and noticed someone lying in a thick puddle of mud. Their blonde hair was streaked with dirt and grime and matted to her forehead by the pouring rain.

Ukitake approached cautiously and when he was a few steps away he was startled by her sudden whisper. It was ever so quiet yet it came as a surprise to the old captain who jumped back warily out of instinct.

"Cap...tain..." She whispered in a voice that was embedded deep in his memory. Even when marred by pain and exhaustion her voice was unmistakeable. One does not forget the voice of their second in command.

"Kiyone?" Ukitake rushed over to the poor girl and lifted her from the mud. He cradled her small frame in his arms and shielded her from the cold. "Kiyone, what happened?"

Kiyone's left eyes fluttered open and she gazed dazedly at her captain. Her mouth quivered as if about to speak but no words came out. A soft whimper was all that escaped her lips and her body spasmed involuntarily.

Ukitake stroked her cheek. "This is my fault. I could have prevented this if I weren't off drinking."

Kiyone grabbed her captain's haori and dragged herself up closer to his face. A stray tear rolled down her cheek and landed in Ukitake's lap. "It...Hurts." She whispered.

"Be still. You are safe now." Ukitake picked her up and clutched her to his chest. He scanned the expansive forest and cursed. He needed to find help and soon. Kiyone may not have had any visible wounds, but she was definitely suffering from something.

He flash stepped through the forest, dodging trees and weaving through the network of decaying timber skeletons. He pushed on until he was at the barracks and he rushed up to the door, crying out for aid on his way.

No-one came out to help. There weren't even guards on duty. Something was wrong...

Ukitake set Kiyone down and kicked down the door to the barracks. A wall of overpowering stench hit him and he stepped back into the night to catch his breath. He peered into the dimly lit room and noticed the dark patches on the walls and floor. Even in the dark, the stench of death was a sign of the massacre inside.

"What on earth happened here?" Ukitake asked no-one but himself. He staggered away from the door and took Kiyone with him to flee the scene of bloodshed.

It was quite a journey to find someone, anyone who could help. The sun was nearly raised then and Kiyone's condition was getting worse. It seemed she had experienced an internal injury and a severe one at that. Her life was slipping away more and more with each lapse of consciousness. Ukitake had used what limited healing powers he had to keep her alive if only for an hour. Without proper help she would not survive through the morning.

He had to move fast!

* * *

When the sun rose from slumber and the morning began the Urahara shoten was bathed in golden light. Three eager employees approached the front entrance which was ripped open like a gutted animal.

Tessai, a giant bulky man with rippling muscles and a body as thick as a tree trunk, moved ahead of the two children and passed the puddles of dried blood which crusted up in the heat of the sun. The huge man stepped into the front room and found it empty. He glanced over to the side and then to the other, scanning the area for intruders.

"Kisuke! Are you still here?"

No reply came.

Tessai frowned and gazed back at his young companions. "Stay out here." He then proceeded inside.

The rooms beyond the front door were dark. Furniture was littered everywhere and walls were knocked down. Even the roof was dented and cracked in numerous places.

Tessai traversed around the mountains of rubble and made his way to Urahara's sleeping quarters. It was located near the back and was a large open room. The path there was paved with more destruction. The walls were cut to shreds and burn marks covered one section of wall. It was as if a war had gone on inside the house.

"Mr Urahara?" Tessai called out. The darkened room loomed ahead and no reply came from within. Tessai stepped through the doorway and flicked on the light. At last he found his boss, leaning against the wall, his front drenched in dark red, his skin stained with blood. His blonde hair was streaked and clumped together by crusted vital fluids. Numerous wounds scored his body and it was quite apparent at first sight that it was too late.

Tessai gritted his teeth and cursed. "Who would do such a thing?"

A soft thud came from behind. "I would." Tessai whirled around only to have a blade pressed against his throat. "Hello there, Tessai. I heard you were once a member of the Kido corps?"

Tessai snarled. "Who are you?"

"Me? You can call me Taru, though your life won't last long enough for you to speak it. Just know that you and your boss shall be forever friends in the afterlife." Taru hesitated for a moment and craned his neck to stare at the wall beside him. His eyes flickered and he stared back at his captive. "I can hear children screaming."

Tessai's eyes narrowed and he threw a punch at his smaller opponent. Taru caught the massive fist with his bare palm and frowned. "Is that it? Do those kids outside not mean anything to you?"

The giant grabbed Taru by the arm and hurled him into the wall. He charged for the door but was stopped when the very same foe materialized in the next room.

"Brute strength cannot save you. I am sorry, but I have grown tired of your pitiful abilities." Before a word of protest could be uttered Taru thrust his sword deep into Tessai's throat, dealing a fatal blow. The giant, like a massive oak tree, fell to the ground with a deafening thud.

Taru wiped his blade on the giant's shirt and then strolled out the front of the shop where Ururu was facing off against two opponents at once. Her battle did not last long. The two warriors joined Taru on the front porch and they cast their gaze on the rising sun.

"Just as the sun rises to its throne in sky, so shall we ascend to the heavens." Taru clenched a fist. "The time is now. Awaken our brothers and sisters. With Kisuke Urahara out of the way and the Gotei 13 in disarray, the time to strike is now! Raise the alarm! Soul Society shall fall!"

A garganta opened before them and the trio walked through the shimmering darkness into the world beyond.

* * *

Ukitake sat beside a small bed which held his subordinate, Kiyone. The poor blonde girl was on the verge of death by the time he had reached the infirmary. A nightmarish countdown had commenced and Ukitake had pushed himself beyond his limits to reach it in time. He had barely made it.

Kiyone's condition had become so severe that the fourth squad captain herself, Retsu Unohana had to save her.

Now, hours later he still remained here. He would not rest until Kiyone was back on her feet. That small reassurance was tearing him apart. The fear of losing such a close friend was gnawing away at his conscience. He was plagued with the guilt of abandoning her when she was in danger...All for a drinking contest. Had he been there he might have prevented such a thing from happening.

Unohana explained she had suffered severe head trauma. Either she was bludgeoned or she bumped her head extremely hard. There was no way it was an accident. These kinds of injuries can only be caused by someone dangerous...And that meant one of them was lurking within Soul Society.

The fragile peace has shattered.

Kiyone's older sister, Isane, approached slowly. Her arms were crossed behind her back and her gaze was cast down to the floor. As she anxiously slid up to the bedside she glanced down at her wounded sibling. Without taking her eyes from Kiyone, she spoke to the captain across form her.

"Why would someone do such a thing? Kiyone did nothing to hurt anyone. Why could anyone bring themselves to hurt her?"

Ukitake bowed his head. "I fear not all in this world seek the path of peace, Isane. Some seek only power and conquest. Aizen was one such individual. People of his mindset would cut down an unarmed child to achieve their hollow ambitions."

"But...Aizen is sealed away."

Ukitake gazed at Kiyone with a look of great sadness. "I'm afraid there are more who follow the path of evil. Aizen was but one of many. But for our sake I hope he was the only one to have wielded such power."

Isane gritted her teeth. "I'll kill them!" She whispered harshly, her voice tinged with venom. Tears rolled down her pale cheeks. "I will punish them...For hurting Kiyone!"

Ukitake frowned. "The path of vengeance is another dead end. We shinigami fight for one thing only and that is for peace."

Isane smiled weakly and clasped her hands together. "Of course...Forgive me."

Ukitake waved a hand. "No need. For now, keep an eye on her. Please inform me if her condition changes. I will gather my squad and search for the intruder. We cannot let anyone else get hurt."

Isane nodded. "Farewell captain Ukitake. Good luck."

Ukitake waved in thanks and then vanished.

* * *

Rukia regained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and she glanced around dazedly, unsure of her whereabouts. She studied the bright sun blazing up in the cloudless blue sky. It hurt her eyes and so she looked away, noticing the door at the far end of the room had been torn from its hinges.

Slowly the last events in her memory played back to her. She remembered the two shinigami who had attacked her. The memories brought waves of fresh pain and she began rubbing the course wound on the back of her head. Blood had formed dried, crusty cakes in her hair and she tried to pick them out though it only brought on more pain.

She left it alone and tried to stand up. She was dizzy at first and tumbled over. On her next attempt she leaned heavily against the wall and eventually made it to her feet. She stood frozen against the wall for some time before she gained the courage to start walking.

She took slow, unstable steps, wobbling each time like a drunkard. She paused in the shattered doorframe and carefully descended the small set of stairs.

_Those intruders...Where could they have gone? _

Rukia stumbled over to the wall of the courtyard and leaned against it for support. The barracks was just a short distance away. She could try there first. Surely someone there had seen the enemy.

She limped over, still woozy from the beating she took earlier. It took some time but eventually she made it to the barracks. The stairs were slippery and Rukia had to hold the railing to keep herself from falling. She slowly dragged herself over to the front door where a young shinigami lay curled up in a ball. His arms were wrapped around a girl. Both were dead. Rukia backed away and gasped. She hadn't noticed the butchered squad inside.

It took a while for her stomach contents to settle and when they did she proceeded back inside the barracks. Everyone was dead. Most were still in their beds, sleeping on pink sheets and crimson pillows.

"What...All of them are...Are..."

She turned to run but bumped into somebody. She was flung back and landed hard on her back. She cried out in alarm but the sound soon turned into a yelp of pain as her head collided with the ground, re-opening her wounds.

"Rukia?" A kind, familiar voice asked.

Rukia glanced up at her captain and her eyes widened. "You're alive?" Rukia asked softly.

"So you survived the onslaught as well." Ukitake mused. "I'm afraid it's only you and me for a while now Kuchiki. Someone attacked these poor men and women in their sleep. It was not an honourable battle, it was merely a cowardly ambush, preying on the unsuspecting. Nonetheless, you and I are the only members of this squad still standing. Kiyone is alive, but she is unconscious for the time being."

"Where are they?" Rukia inquired.

Ukitake frowned. "I don't know. I was hoping to find some sort of clue around here. If only I knew what to look for."

"Masks" Rukia whispered. Ukitake fell silent and cocked his head.

"Excuse me?"

"They were wearing masks." Rukia explained. "Like an arrancar...But the masks were black."

"Black masks? I wonder if they are affiliated with Aizen. That cunning wretch might have expected his own demise and saved a few warriors for a rainy day." Ukitake cursed. "They must want to set him free."

Rukia frowned. "I don't think so...But I do know they have something in store for me."

At that moment the air behind them was torn apart and a garganta opened.


	8. Friends & Foes

_**8...Friends and Foes**_

Ichigo walked home from school alone. Tatsuki had karate practice and so she was still at the school. Keigo was hopelessly trying to elope with one unfortunate girl and Mizuiro tagged along just to enjoy the show. Everyone else was gone.

Despite being alone, Ichigo felt at ease. He was alone with his thoughts, ones that no longer revolved around the fate of the world and the affairs of the dead. He could relax now. His duty as a protector was over now...Life was easy.

The biggest hurdle he faced now was a test next Wednesday, not a never-ending war between hollows and shinigami. This was the way his life was meant to be.

He glanced up at the evening sky and wondered what everyone was up to. He stared at the sun too long and it stung. He closed his eyes and saw coloured splotches. He continued to stumble about, incidentally bumping into someone. He remained standing but the other person crashed into the road, hard.

"Ow!" The fallen person whined.

Ichigo offered a hand. "Oh, I'm sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going."

The person on the ground looked up with a sympathetic smile and at the moment he gazed into her eyes he knew who it was. It was Orihime. She hadn't been at school for some time and Ichigo had never gotten around to visiting her or contacting her. He felt guilty for that, but at least now he could catch up.

"Kurosaki-kun..."

"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked. "Or, at least what _where _you doing before you bumped into me?"

Orihime giggled and her cheeks went a light pink. "I was doing your job."

Ichigo frowned. "That must be hard on you..."

"Nope!" Orihime chirped. "I'm getting stronger now! With each hollow I fight I learn more about my powers! Pretty soon I'll be stronger than you ever were!" She cheered like a little child, sticking both arms out and jumping up and down on the spot.

Ichigo chuckled softly. Orihime was still the same, even after becoming a fully fledged hollow hunter. She still had the same bubbly personality he had grown accustomed to.

"So, how is Chad and Uryu?"

"They're both working hard. With you gone the job takes more time but we manage. It's a small sacrifice to ensure the world is safe, right?" Orihime beamed.

Ichigo nodded and looked to the ground. He noticed a large graze on Orihime's leg, one she must have gotten from her trip to the ground. "Geez, that looks painful."

Orihime's body jolted as if she was startled by something and then she fell down on one knee. She grasped the wound and started crying.

"Wha- Don't cry! It's only a little graze!"

Orihime ignored him and wailed louder. She curled up in a ball and shrieked. Ichigo looked around nervously, anticipating mobs of curious onlookers to jump out of nowhere. Fortunately none came, but the problem remained. How would he quieten her down?

"Inoue?" He got no reply. She was still sobbing hysterically. "Inoue?" he repeated, louder this time. Still he got no response. He cursed under his breath and roared. "Inoue!"

She stopped instantly, her eyes wide. A stray tear rolled halfway down her cheek and stopped. Ichigo wiped it away and then ducked stooped down to be level with his friend. Orihime stared at him silently, unsure of what he would do.

"Kurosaki..."

Ichigo picked her up and cradled her like a child briefly before setting her down on her feet. He studied her from head to toe and cocked his head. "Can you walk?"

Orihime took a shaky step forward and almost fell. She whimpered softly. "Ow..."

"Do you need help?" Ichigo asked, rolling his eyes.

Orihime nodded gently and stumbled. Ichigo caught her and ducked under her left arm so that it was draped over his shoulders. He then put a hand on her opposite shoulder for support and together they walked back to her apartment.

On the way they caught up on each other's lives. They each filled in the blanks on the events of the past month.

"Well, I'm getting really good at fighting hollows now! I can take 'em on all by myself!" Orihime beamed, raising a fist in triumph.

"Good for you." Ichigo sighed. "I'm glad you're getting on well without me."

Orihime bowed her head. "We still miss you. It's almost as if...As if a part of you has died. But with you gone, we all had to become strong. Thanks to you...I'm...I'm no longer the person cheering from the sidelines. Now I'm a warrior...Just like you."

"Well I think you're an excellent replacement for me."

"Really?" Orihime jumped on the spot and started to fall but Ichigo caught her once again and helped steady her. When they were back on their feet he answered her.

"Of course. You have a kind heart. One that seeks to protect all you care for. That is your greatest weapon Inoue, and I'm sure you will do a better job than I did." Ichigo frowned. "I failed...I hope you succeed."

"Huh? You didn't fail! You saved us all!"

Ichigo sighed. "I did nothing. Even with my greatest attacks I couldn't defeat Aizen. I was too weak to finish him. I was merely an inconvenience for him..."

"Ichigo! Listen to me! You are not a failure! You may not have killed Aizen but you stopped him at the very least. Now he can't hurt us anymore. You're a hero."

"I'm no hero Inoue. I lost the battle, I lost my powers and worst of all...I lost Rukia." Ichigo stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the ground as if the answers to life's questions lay nestled between the cracks in the path.

Orihime watched his eyes change. His calm, joyful demeanour slowly drowned in a pit of despair. His eyes seemed to cloud over and his mouth sagged down into a frown. It hurt her to see him like this...She knew Ichigo still bore the emotional scars of his final battle, but she assumed that she would never see this face again. She was wrong.

Ichigo closed his eyes and didn't open them. It was as if he were asleep while still standing. For a moment she believed it but then he spoke.

"Let's go."

Orihime limped alongside him and together they continued the journey in silence. Neither of them spoke until they were at the front gate to the apartment block and even then it was Orihime who broke the unnerving silence.

"Would you like to come in?"

Ichigo didn't answer. He wasn't even looking at her.

Orihime hopped up the stairs to the front door and glanced back down to Ichigo. He was still locked in his trance, torturing himself over the dark memories of the past. She knew it was hopeless so she began to ascend the stairs to her apartment. On the third step she tripped and hit her head on the edge of the stairs. She rolled back down to the floor and sobbed.

The door slammed shut from the wind and she felt alone. She was about to cry out when a slender finger was pressed against her lips.

Ichigo picked her up and carried her up the stairs and to her apartment. He set her down and let her limp over to the couch. She collapsed on it and groaned.

"Do you have a first aid kit?"

Orihime nodded and pointed to a cupboard across the room. Ichigo followed her directions and found a small box with a green cross on it. He carried it back to Inoue and studied her forehead.

"Does you head hurt?"

Orihime nodded again. She was feeling dizzy and didn't want to talk.

Ichigo placed a finger on his chin and sighed. "You've got a nasty gash on your head...Hopefully you don't get a concussion. He went through the contents of the kit and took out a gauze patch. He placed it over the wound and then wrapped a bandage around it. He then got to work on her leg. When it too was patched up he sat down on the floor and leaned against the couch.

Orihime patted his head as if he were a dog. "Thanks." She whispered.

With a light chuckle Ichigo returned to his good mood. A weak smile re-appeared. "It was nothing. Honestly, you're still as clumsy as you were when we were little kids."

"Ichigo...I..." Inoue trailed off.

"Huh?"

"Ichigo...I...I...Always..."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. Those were the same words Rukia had said just before she vanished. The scar broke open again and bled freely again. Ichigo suddenly started to panic and grabbed Inoue by the collar. "What? What were you going to say? Hurry! Spit it out already!"

"Ichigo-" Inoue whimpered.

"Now!" Ichigo roared. He threw her back into the couch and then the strange urge disappeared. He sat back and stared at his hands. "Oh god...What did I do?" He looked to Orihime and ran his hands through his hair. He snarled and punched the floor. "Dammit! Rukia's absence is killing me! I need to see her again before I go crazy!"

"I'm sorry...Ichigo..." Orihime trailed off and closed her eyes for quite some time before she opened them again. She was getting drowsy. She must be getting a concussion.

Ichigo grabbed his hair and yanked out two large chunks of golden strands. He hurled them aside and cursed. "When will it end? When will I be able to move on? Am I cursed to be forever haunted by my memories? Why can't I live my life?"

"Ichigo...I...I always...valued your friendship...Thank you." Orihime drifted off.

Ichigo sat with her for some time before leaving. He was careful not to make much sound as he snuck out of her apartment. He tried locking the door but the lock mechanism was broken. He shrugged his shoulders and just left the door closed. He then strolled down the stairs and out into the open air.

Rain spat down from the clouds and soaked him within a few seconds. His hair became weighed down and matted to his forehead, covering his eyes. He let out a deep sigh and set off home. He barely took notice of the boy who passed him in the near empty streets.

The boy wore a black coat and his black hair was similarly hung about his face due to the heavy rain. He trudged past Ichigo and neither person paid any heed, both absorbed in their own lives, their own problems, their own goals.

The sky darkened and thunder rumbled overhead, an omen for things to come.

* * *

Rukia and Ukitake backed away from the garganta. Ukitake drew his sword and braced himself as several figures stepped out into the light. All bore black mask fragments. All worse black shihakusho like shinigami, though they were not friendly forces.

"Who are you?" Ukitake roared.

A long-haired man at the front of the group stepped forward and bowed. "We are the Espada Oscuras. We are here to claim Soul Society."

Ukitake cursed and stepped in front of Rukia, shielding her from the enemy. Rukia recognised the speaker. He was the man from earlier who accompanied the female assailant. The girl stood beside him. She grinned viciously at her and waved.

Ukitake held his blade close to his stomach with the point aimed outwards. He took a deep breath and the sword split into two hooked swords, both attached by a dangling red rope lined with charms.

"As a captain of the thirteen court guard companies it is my duty to stop you!"

The eight Espada laughed at him. Shin'en stepped forward and waved a hand at the brave captain. "I admire your courage Jushiro Ukitake, but someone of your calibre is not enough to defeat one of us, let alone a group."

Ukitake grinned. "Very well. Let me fight you one-on-one in a fair match and let's see if your claim is correct."

Shin'en smiled. "As you wish." He glanced over his shoulder at the others and nodded. In an instant they all disappeared, heading off in different directions. Shin'en and Yami were the only ones remaining and both drew their weapons.

Shin'en pointed his Nodachi at his foe. "Now then, let us get started."

Yami ran ahead of him and lunged at Rukia. "Let the fun begin!"


	9. Invasion

_**9...Invasion**_

Deep within the research and development centre a trio of odd-looking shinigami sat glued to their seats, staring wide eyed at the monitors before them.

"There are intruders all over the place!" A mutated amphibious creature cried out, tapping away frantically at the keyboard.

"They have infiltrated tenth company's grounds!" A strange, elderly looking man with hair more befitting of a clown.

"They are splitting up! There are five...No, six, No is it...Eight? Eight intruders!" A young man explained without looking away from the monitor.

"Contact the captain commander!" The leader of the group, Akon rose from his seat. He had short black hair and short horns jutting out of his forehead. He approached the other members and issued his orders. "Sound the alarm! Don't let them get the better of us!"

Akon whirled around only to be struck full in the face by a pale fist. He was thrown back into one of the computers which crumbled around him and sent his comrades running for the door, but it was blocked by one of the enemy.

The opponent was a tall, pale man with unusually long arms. His fingers were far too long and one hand had nails that had gone untended for years, leaving behind discoloured claws. One side of his face was hidden behind a black mask which resembled something like a cat with a giant gaping maw. He crossed his arms and grinned.

"Going somewhere?"

The scientists trembled in fear, unable to move. It made it much easier for them to be dealt with. The lanky Espada murdered the group of scientists and then raked his claws across another of the screens. Sparks flew from the damaged equipment and he struck it again, only to knock it to the floor where it shattered like a glass vase.

He proceeded to destroy all of the equipment and anyone who came to check out what the commotion was all about.

Throughout it all, a section of the wall in the farthest corner began to crumble, revealing wide, unblinking eyes which focused on the intruder. They flickered with interest and sadistic glee.

* * *

A patrol unit within the eleventh squad border came to a complete stop as a lost child crossed their path. The child had wild blue hair and dark rimmed eyes. His thin frame appeared near emaciated yet there was an odd presence emanating from him.

The front man of the unit stepped forward and frowned. "Hey Kid! What are you doing here? Get out of here now or face the consequences!"

The child glanced up at him with a scowl.

The eleventh squad troops became enraged at the child's defiance. They drew their swords and awaited their leader's command.

"Move it! I won't ask you again!" The leader snarled. When he once again received no reaction he cursed and drew his sword. "Oh that's it. I warned you. Now prepare to die for your insolence!" Before he could even take a step his whole body erupted in a crimson shower and his body collapsed in a broken heap.

The other squad members hesitated, stunned by the sudden death of their friend. They all focused on the lonely child and moved to retaliate.

The child closed his eyes and flexed his fingers. In a fraction of a second all of the soldiers were on the ground either dead or close to it. The child strolled off unperturbed by the violence he created.

* * *

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya spotted a ryoka atop the wall around his courtyard. He flash stepped over to the foe and stopped him dead in his tracks. The two stood off against each other silently.

Toshiro studied the ryoka. It was man with a spiky red Mohawk. His eyes were surrounded by tattooed flames and the areas on the top of his head which were not covered in hair were buried beneath a spiked helmet. He carried a katana which was emitting steam as if its core were burning.

"Who are you?" Hitsugaya asked.

"I am Honoo, one of the Espada Oscuras."

"Espada Oscuras?" Hitsugaya repeated. "What on earth is that?"

"We were once bred as reinforcements for Lord Aizen, but now we seek our own goals." Honoo tightened his grip on his sword and its length suddenly burned bright red as flames ran up and down it. "Our new goal is to destroy Soul Society and with it slay every accursed shinigami who has ever served in the Gotei 13. We shall rule atop the heavens and show Aizen that only those with true power can achieve such ambitions."

"What?"

"Enough chat. Let us get this under way. I have many people to visit and not much time."

Hitsugaya cursed and released his sword. A crisp, icy aura enveloped him and he charged to meet his foe. Fire and ice clashed and both combatants were thrown aside. As soon as their feet touched solid ground they charged again. And so their furious battle began.

* * *

A drunken Shunsui Kyouraku stumbled out of his garden to find the courtyard lined with corpses. His jaw dropped and he staggered back, only to trip on something. He landed on his back but quickly pushed himself back on his feet out of instinct. He landed in a crouch behind the object he stumbled over and was terrified to find it was a body...

"No..." He whispered, unable to find the strength to cry out loud. "My sweet darling Nanao..."

The young lieutenant rolled over and gazed up at her captain. Her expression was mixed with pain and sorrow. The front of her uniform was sliced open as if she had been mauled by some monstrous creature. She held a hand over the huge wounds and her soft, white flesh had turned an ominous shade of red, utterly soaked in what spilled from her injuries.

Kyouraku fell to his knees and grabbed the woman by the shoulders. He lifted her just enough to wrap an arm behind her head and then he rested it on his lap. She stared up at him but every so often her vision seemed to become distant, as if she were stuck in a trance.

"Captain...I am...Sorry..."

Kyouraku bowed his head. "Nanao...What happened here?"

Nanao opened her mouth and a thin red line trickled down from the corner of her mouth. "Es...Espada..." Her whole body shuddered and she winced before repeating the word, this time more slowly, as if it were tiring her out just speaking.

"Espada...But we defeated them! How can this be?"

"There...Were...More..." Nanao whispered, her voice becoming fainter with each word. "Attacked...I...Failed..." Her head fell to one side and went limp.

"Nanao! Stay with me! Stay awake! Please!" Kyouraku cried out but his pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Nanao rolled onto her side but her devoted captain picked her up and placed her on her back again. He shook her fervently, desperate to re-awaken her, but it seemed to do little good. Her eyes were half closed, her eyes staring up at to the sky. The colour drained from her cheeks and her body felt cold.

Kyouraku did not give up. He tried to resuscitate her but by pushing down on her chest he seemed to only aggravate the flow of blood and nothing more. Utterly defeated, he sat back and stared at the dead that surrounded him.

"No...No..." His hands were tainted in the water of the dead. His eyes widened and he screamed to the cloudless sky, releasing his sorrow in one great cry of internal agony. He sobbed uncontrollably and clutched at the lifeless girl before him, drowning his tears into the blood-soaked fabric of her uniform. He dug his fingers into the cold pale flesh and cursed his inability to save her.

He had been out drinking with a friend while his comrades were being slaughtered. He was so engrossed in laughter and his own drunken merriment that he could not hear the screams of his dying friends...The ones who looked up to him...Who idolised him. They sought his guidance and protection and he had turned his back on them just to douse his tongue in the sweet taste of sake.

Now he faced a nightmare he could not wake from.

A soft footstep from behind him caught his attention and he spun on his heels to face none other than the killer. The vile beast who destroyed his squad and everyone he cared for.

A thin warrior with black, bony gauntlets on his hands. His fingers ended in vicious talons. Emotionless eyes studied him with morbid curiosity and a dark tongue snaked out to lap at the blood that specked his chin. A devilish grin spread across his hideous face revealing sharpened teeth which ended in black tips.

"Her cries were like music to my ears. You have good taste I must say." The monster rasped in his venomous tone.

Kyouraku's hands trembled as they reached for his swords. He charged wildly at his foe, screaming bloody murder as he hacked relentlessly at his agile opponent. The Espada manoeuvred around his erratic strikes and evaded each strike. Instead managing to inflict wounds upon the enraged captain.

"I'll kill you!" Kyouraku roared like a beast from the pits of Hell. He brought both swords down but they only connected with the ground, creating a deep crater from the impact. The Espada leapt into the air but Kyouraku followed, determined to avenge his squad and prevent any further innocent people from suffering.

Unfortunately, the bloodshed was not only within his barracks, but all over Sereitei. Numerous squads were locked in battle. The fragile peace that had briefly lingered over Soul Society was now rotting beneath the mounting piles of corpses.

The war had begun.

* * *

Ichigo sat in the gutter and stared at his blurred reflection beside him. The rain still pelted his back and soaked into his skin making his flesh prickle and his shoulders involuntarily spasm from the cold.

_What am I supposed to do? I can't move on...Rukia is always in my thoughts, no matter how hard I try. Will I ever be able to live freely?_

The answer was not available. No matter how hard he stared into his reflected eyes. No matter how deep into his soul he searched for the truth it was not there.

He cursed indecision and was about to rise when the sky suddenly blazed bright orange and red. The sky burned for the briefest of moments and then receded while thick black smoke drifted out to suffocate the sky.

Ichigo whirled around and caught sight of the raging inferno that erupted from the apartment block. His eyes widened and he leapt to his feet.

"Orihime!" He cried as he pumped his legs, running full tilt towards the burning wreckage. He leapt over a small railing and slipped on the rain-slick concrete. He bashed his head against the ground and cursed as he clambered back up on his feet.

The apartment block exploded again, this time blowing out a chunk of wall, sending debris raining down on the street. A great fireball rose out of the shattered building and reached for the darkened sky only to be quenched by the rain.

Ichigo pushed on adrenaline fuelling his weak, frozen body. He dashed across the road and narrowly avoided a collision. He was too absorbed in the crackling roar of flames to hear the car horns blaring at him as he bolted across the road.

When he reached the front door it was hurled out onto the road as great flames burst out of the doorway and spread across the small patch of artificial turf in the front yard. The little garden the older residents had nurtured disappeared in seconds, becoming a blackened soup of dead foliage.

Ichigo threw himself into the front room and used his jacket to shield himself from the heat. He lifted the collar of his shirt over his mouth and nose to keep the smoke out and then he made his way up the stairs.

The heat was intense. Sweat was rolling down his back like a waterfall, making his shirt cling to his back. His skin was going bright red as if he was blushing and it felt like his blood was boiling. Regardless, he pushed on up the stairs and into the upstairs hallway.

The landing was ablaze and part of the roof had collapsed in on itself and blocked the farthest rooms. Orihime's was the closest and Ichigo charged in, knocking the charred door off of its hinges with the full force of his body.

The room was painted in an orange tinge as flames raced around the perimeter of the room. The window was smashed and the wallpaper was melting, dripping down the wall like wet paint. The rug on the floor was now a stagnant, steaming pool of tar and an unconscious friend lay in the middle of the room, flames lapping at her clothes.

The couch she laid on was falling apart as its timber frame decayed from the fire. The cushions were splitting and the flames spread all over her body. Orihime's beautiful chestnut hair was alight, already turning a darker shade. Her soft skin was becoming marred by the intense heat and the blaze which enveloped her.

Ichigo closed his eyes as thick smoke billowed into his face. He stumbled through it and reached Inoue's side. His hands stung just from nearing her but when he laid a hand on her he drew it back instantly as it burned into him.

"Inoue!" He cried. "Wake up! Wake up now! We have to get out!"

His cries fell on deaf ears. She was out cold, even in the heat. Ichigo tried once more to pick her up but he was scolded and the palm of his hand went bright pink before turning an ugly dark shade of black. He hugged his damaged hand to his chest and cursed.

"Orihime! Please! Get up and run!"

Her clothes were burning like firewood by then. The flames were far too intense. Any attempt to touch her would result in serious burns. Ichigo desperately reached out to her but another explosion flung him into the wall. He fell through the decaying structure and landed out on the landing again. He quickly crawled back on his knees and reached out to his friend but the ceiling splintered and collapsed, trapping Inoue in a cage of burning debris.

"No! Orihime! Orihime!" Ichigo clawed at the thick pile of rubble but it was soon apparent that it was too late.

Ichigo sat back on his haunches and stared blankly at the dancing flames. His hands fell by his sides and he took deep laboured breaths as his lungs became filled with smoke. He extended a hand to the fallen girl but in a matter of seconds he too fell. His eyes drooped shut and he blinked slowly, the world contrasting between bright orange to abyssal darkness.

Inevitably the darkness won and Ichigo blacked out.

* * *

From a nearby rooftop the same boy from earlier watched on. His smile was hidden by his coat yet his eyes flickered with undeniable joy from the display. He let out a light chuckle and set his gaze on the Kurosaki boy who was lying in the hallway, now unconscious.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. The substitute shinigami who defeated Aizen...I shall enjoy tearing you apart!"

The boy laughed manically as the lower floor of the apartment block became jarred by another explosion.

"This is only the beginning. Soon enough the flames of wrath shall consume this wretched little town. But firstly I want to make you pay Kurosaki. You killed my brothers and hindered our plans long enough. Now I shall destroy you and everyone around you. Hear my name and fear it for as long as you live. I...Am...Taru!"


	10. Growing Dread

_**10...Growing Dread**_

Tatsuki was forcefully awakened by the incessant whining of her telephone. She drew the covers aside and stepped out of bed, on the way casting a barely attentive glance at the clock on the wall. She groaned when it sank in that it was ridiculously early to be receiving a phone call.

She shuffled over to the phone and stared at it for a moment, contemplating whether or not to answer it. At a time like this it was most likely a prank call, but still, she had already come this far.

She rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from the receiver. She brought it to the side of her face and then spoke in a voice that was a tired, sluggish attempt to sound cheerful.

"Hello, Arisawa residence."

She listened in silently for a moment and then her flesh went pale. Her eyes shot open and wouldn't close, stuck staring straight ahead.

"What?" She yelled in disbelief.

The caller repeated themselves and then hung up. Tatsuki was still holding the phone long after the call was over. She just stared at the wall in a trance. When its paralysing spell wore off she ran upstairs to get dressed and then rushed out the door, in too much of a hurry to lock the front door on her way out.

She leapt over a garden hedge and then dashed across the road, weaving between cars, ignoring their blaring horns. She rounded a corner and almost ran into someone. She came to a stop and glared at the one in her way. It was Taru, the new kid from school.

"Hello." Taru said warmly.

Tatsuki shrugged it off and pushed him aside. "Move it! I'm in a hurry!" She ran past him and did not look back.

If she had, she may have noticed him walking towards her house...

* * *

The receptionists at the hospital were stunned when an exhausted young girl came storming into the waiting room. Her shoulders were heaving and she was breathing raggedly. Sweat was dripping down her forehead and she wiped it away with the back of her hand while she was jogging up to the desk.

"Where are my friends?" The girl cried anxiously.

"Your friends? I don't understand-"

"I got a call earlier! My friends were hurt! Where are they?" The girl persisted.

"Oh, you must be here about the two kids we found in the fire."

Tatsuki had a few burning questions but first things first she had to see her friends. She was about to repeat her request when one of the receptionists told her where to go. She took mental note of it and then ran off.

She made it to the emergency ward and got into the main hall when she was stopped by a doctor with steel grey hair and thick glasses.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Tatsuki Arisawa. You called me this morning." She wheezed in response.

"Ah yes. Through here." He slowly led the way, despite Tatsuki urging him to speed up. "There is no rush." The doctor assured her. "Besides, there are a few things I must tell you."

Tatsuki cursed under her breath and turned to the doctor. She stared right into his eyes and waited for the news. The doctor stared right back, his eyes void of emotion, yet his lips still quivered as the words lingered on the tip of his tongue.

"Miss Arisawa...your friend Inoue Orihime...She did not make it." He stepped back and watched the girl as she simply stared blankly at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Miss Inoue was unfortunately-"

"What are you talking about?" Tatsuki yelled.

The doctor sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Miss Inoue was pronounced dead at the scene." He spat out with brutal honesty.

Tatsuki just stared at him, slowly sinking away. Her shoulders slumped and she took a trembling step back. "You...You can't be serious?"

Doctor Ryuken Ishida bowed his head. "I am deeply sorry for your loss."

"Huh?" Tatsuki fell into the wall and she leaned heavily against it for support. Her whole body was shaking and her eyes were clouding as if they were wet.

The doctor slowly approached her. "Her apartment was set alight by an unexplained explosion. It was a suspected gas leak but other authorities are looking into it."

"No..."

"The first explosion and subsequent breakout of fire soon caused other gas mains to ignite, soon setting the entire building alight. We got there as soon as we could but by then we could barely salvage anything. We found Miss Inoue under a collapsed section of roof. We also found another boy in her apartment."

"Can I...See him?" Tatsuki whispered, her voice creaking like an old door.

"Of course. He is in here. He is currently unconscious but-"

Ryuken was cut off by Tatsuki. She held up a hand. "Please...Can I be alone...With Ichigo?"

The doctor frowned but after a short moment of hesitation he nodded. "Alright."

The door groaned as it was pushed open and the light from the corridor spilled into the darker room beyond. Tatsuki wandered through and found him lying on a hospital bed. He had no shirt on, instead a blanket of bandages with small gaps where tubes were stuck in his flesh, feeding him, bleeding into him, saving him...

Tatsuki rubbed at her eyes until they were red and sore. She stood beside the bed, grasping the rail so tightly that her hands were beginning to cramp. She leaned over him so she could see his face more clearly.

He was connected to a life support machine and air was supplied to him through a mask. His skin was a shade of pinky-red like a rare steak. His flesh was flaking in parts just like severe sunburn and his hair had been singed to blackened tips in some areas. Some were just plain bald.

"Ichigo...What happened?"

The door creaked softly and a large shadow crept up behind her. She turned slowly and frowned at the familiar face shrouded in darkness.

"A gas leak huh?" Isshin sat down beside his son and sighed. "That may be so, but I still feel like this was planned."

Tatsuki sobbed. "You mean...Someone killed them? Who would do something so awful?"

Isshin ran a hand through his hair and glanced up at the ceiling. "No...I'm just rambling. It was a gas leak and nothing more. Just a horrible freak accident. These things happen."

Tatsuki calmed a little but even if the explosion was not under suspicious circumstances the victims were still reason for sorrow. She wept over Ichigo's still form while Isshin watched on in mournful contemplation.

He didn't want to say it out loud, but he had an awful suspicion that someone set it all up. If there was trouble afoot, then there was only one person who would know. It seemed now was a better time than ever to drop in for a visit.

He watched his son silently for ten minutes before leaving without a word. He walked right out and vanished leaving Tatsuki alone with her friend once again.

Tatsuki looked up to check the other guest was gone and then she leaned over onto Ichigo, pressing her body against his. She hugged him gently, not wanting to hurt him. She closed her eyes and sobbed into his chest.

"Please Ichigo...Don't leave me. Without Orihime...You're all I have...So please, stay with me." She couldn't speak anymore, lost in her overpowering emotions. She spent the rest of her time weeping against him, her ear pressed to his chest, waiting for a heartbeat that never came.

* * *

Isshin used Shunpo to reach the Urahara Shoten in minimal time. It had been quite some time since he had used his powers this much and it was putting a strain on his body, but nevertheless he pushed on. Through practice he would eventually become re-accustomed to it.

The shop was eerily silent. Usually the two children, Ururu and Jinta would be out the front, bickering over nothing. Urahara was almost always up to something that would gather attention, but there was nothing this time.

As Isshin stepped inside the store he realised he couldn't sense the man's spiritual presence. That was a bad sign. Isshin reached for his sword and kept his hand trained on the handle while he entered the building.

The interior of the shop was like that of a war zone. Walls were ripped apart as if they were paper. The floor was cut up and scorched in places. Furniture was thrown about haphazardly and there were ominous dark red stains in the carpet.

Isshin tensed his body and proceeded into another room. He rounded a corner and approached Urahara's room. He could smell the sense-assaulting stench of death. The overpowering odour of rotting meat made him hesitate, but in the end he pushed through...Though he regretted it.

Inside the small room four bodies were huddled together. Each member of the staff had been slain mercilessly. They were all leaned against the far wall, all of them facing the entrance, their wide, dead eyes staring at him, begging him to save them.

Isshin bowed his head. "Urahara..."

The wall behind the bodies was splattered in dried blood. A message had been scrawled in what flowed forth from the corpses. It was written in a barely legible style but somehow Isshin made out the scribbled characters and put it together.

"The Espada Oscuras...Shall prevail? What is this?" Isshin backed away from the scene of violence. "Espada? But they were all defeated!"

"There were two units of Espada." A familiar voice whispered in his ear.

Isshin spun around and noticed a lithe form standing in a large gap in the wall. The sunlight was behind her, casting her face in shadow, but her voice was recognisable. Isshin's expression hardened and he gazed up at the other person.

"Yoruichi...What on earth is going on? Who are these Espada Oscuras?"

Yoruichi jumped down to the floor beside Isshin and stared at the corpse of her childhood friend. "Supposedly Aizen had foreseen the need to have reserve troops in the winter war. He created more Espada, a whole second set. All ten of them were forced to remain in hiding until the need arose."

"How do you know this?"

Yoruichi dragged her collar down to reveal an ugly wound near her collar bone. It was only just starting to form a scab. "I fought one of them. He was bragging about how he was going to bring down Soul Society..."

"Where is he? Did you kill him?"

Yoruichi sighed. "He escaped. I was hoping Urahara would have more information on these new Espada but it seems I was too late..."

"They must have thought to take out Urahara first since he was the one who managed to seal away Aizen." Isshin suggested.

Yoruichi nodded. "There can't be many of them. Especially if they are resorting to such tactics. But still, we must be extra careful from now on."

"Should we warn Soul Society?"

"I'll contact them soon, but for now I think we should lay low. If they are targeting strong individuals then you and I are at risk. We may be next on their hit list, so please be cautious."

Isshin bowed. "Of course. You don't need to remind me to be on my toes." He straightened up and cast his gaze over to his fallen comrade. "I honestly never imagined the day Kisuke would die. I thought he would invent a way to become immortal long before his time was up...Whoever did this must be extremely powerful."

Yoruichi looked away, still taken by the surprise discovery. She hadn't expected things to turn out this way. Urahara was her childhood friend and a legendary warrior. To see him in such a state was beyond her. It was almost painful to see him like that. She had to turn away before her emotions wore her down.

She had to remain strong, especially for the fight ahead.

Yoruichi clenched a fist and glared out the shattered hole in the wall to the empty heavens. "Kisuke..." She snarled, tears rolling down her cheeks. To succumb to her emotions like that only enraged her further. Her face crease dup into a vicious scowl. "Kisuke...You will be avenged!"


	11. Fight Back

_**11...Fight Back**_

The small Espada child wandered through the winding alleys of the eleventh squad territory, mercilessly cutting down anyone who came across him. None ever foresaw his attacks and none survived the first strike.

It was all too easy for him until he came across another child.

The little pink-haired girl beamed an innocent smile as she noticed him. She waved hyperactively as if they were lifelong friends and proceeded to race towards him.

"Hey! Another kid! Will you be my friend?"

The boy glared at her and then arced his head down to the floor. He said nothing.

"Hey! Answer me! Are you shy or something? Don't be afraid!" The little girl was jumping up and down impatiently while trying to coerce the boy into befriending her. It seemed a rather futile attempt thus far.

"You...Get out of my way..." The boy rasped. His voice was unusually dry and husky for a child, almost as if he had been starved for his entire life. "Stupid child."

The girl frowned at him. "Stupid kid? Do you know who I am? If you tease me I'll get Kenny to sort you out!"

"I am not here to play games. Leave now...Or die." The boy raised his hand, revealing his blackened fingernails. The sun's reflection caught long trails leading from his hands.

The girl pouted. "I am Yachiru Kusajishi. I'm not a stupid kid!"

The boy's eyes widened. "Kusajishi?" He swung his hand in a swaying motion in front of his torso and then moving it back again.

Yachiru's cheek suddenly dribbled blood and her left arm was stinging terribly. She leapt back to a safe distance and scowled. "What did you do?"

"I will kill you," The boy snarled. "Assistant captain Kusajishi." He swung his hands again and Yachiru hastily drew her sword. Something struck it but she could not see. She prepared to attack but her sword was dragged down to the ground by an invisible force. She yelped and leapt into the air.

The boy's hand rose as well and the young girl smirked. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but she had a hunch...

Yachiru wrenched her sword back suddenly and the boy was thrown into the air. She chuckled like an excited toddler and grinned. "This game is fun!" As the boy hurtled towards her she drew back her feet and as soon as he was within reach she thrust her foot into his gut. "Tag!" She squealed delightedly.

The Espada boy crashed to the ground, throwing dust around the area, momentarily concealing him behind the swirling cloud. Seconds later it was swept away but in their wake, revealed something about the boy's hands. The dust settled on lengths of wire which stretched out from his nails. The boy scowled at his own foolishness and retaliated by swinging the razor wires at Yachiru.

The young girl giggled as she swatted them away and snatched the fifth wire. It cut into her hand but she ignored the pain and started to run along its length, down towards the boy.

"I'm coming to get you!" She chirped.

The boy jerked his hand sideways and the wires became zig-zagging trails. Yachiru's foot fell through one of the gaps and she plummeted towards the ground. Before she hit the boy flicked his wrist, sending all five wires to her. They all slapped her with crushing force, throwing her at high speed into a wall. She hit it so hard that her body made a crater in the thick stone structure which eventually crumbled around her.

The boy retracted the wires and approached the pile of rubble. "Die."

Yachiru pushed aside a piece of rubble but it rolled back into place over her leg, crushing it. She cried out in pain. "Ow! Kenny! Kenny, help! Kenny!" She waited a short while before trying again. "Kenny! Kenn-"

The boy was standing over her now. His hand was closed in a fist but he opened it and let the wires roll about her neck, entangling around her throat. She knew any move she made could potentially end her short life. She was powerless now. Only one man could save her, but it seems he was not to arrive.

The boy grinned wickedly. "Stupid child. I shall destroy you all. The Espada Oscuras will prevail."

"Espada...They are evil! Kenny says they are bad!" Yachiru winced before continuing. "Bad people never win."

"They do now." The boy said in his horrid rasping way. His black-rimmed eyes narrowed and his fingers began to flex slowly, causing the wires to enclose around her. She could feel them just barely contacting her skin but soon they would bury within her and bring about a violent end. If only her knight in blood-stained armour could arrive to save her...

"I'm sorry. You will never witness the downfall of Soul Society, but at least your death will be painless." His fingers curled inwards again and Yachiru felt the razor wires digging into her skin. As a warrior she kept her eyes open, staring deep into her foe.

Her concentration was broken when she heard something...A high pitched ringing sound...Almost like...Bells.

The boy failed to hear it. He was oblivious to the omen. Once you hear the bells, death is sure to follow. His smile spread further and his eyes seemed to glow. He was too engrossed in his victim that he didn't see the great shadow which rushed out from the darkness. Neither did he see the great, rusted blade crash down upon him.

It was only when a sudden burst of reiatsu hurled him back that he noticed he had been interrupted. He tried to reach out for a hand hold but his arm was missing. The amputated limb was still with Yachiru, the wires still coiled around her.

The boy's eyes widened and he stared up at the looming giant who he now faced. This man was not just intimidating, he was downright terrifying. His eyes looked like that of a demon and his jagged smile showed sharpened fangs. His body and sword were both scarred from numerous battles and the look in his eyes showed he was a man of war. There was only one man this could be...The dreaded captain of eleventh squad, Zaraki Kenpachi.

The boy extended a hand and a new set of wires shot forth from his one remaining hand. In a matter of seconds it too was gone. He was so stunned he lost his balance and tripped over. He landed in a heap but had no hands to push himself back up.

The monstrous captain stalked his prey, a menacing smirk on his face. "You hurt Yachiru. You've got some nerve. But from all I can see you're just a weak little kid. You aren't even worth killing, but when Yachiru gets hurt I get pissed off. And when I'm pissed off I can't control my sword."

The boy cursed under his breath. "Damn you...To be beaten by lowly shinigami. What a disgrace."

Zaraki laughed like a madman. "Lowly shinigami? If we are so pathetic then what does that make you? You're nothing! You are just a stupid little kid!"

The boy was about to let out another tongue lashing but he did not live long enough to do so. Zaraki did not use his sword. He merely removed his eye patch. In such a weakened state the boy succumbed to the overwhelming pressure and his body shut down.

Zaraki put his eye patch back on and sighed. "Pathetic...I had to wake up for that. Dammit." He turned to Yachiru and picked her up with one hand, gently placing her on his shoulder. "Hold on tight." With that, he ran off for the infirmary.

* * *

Shin'en hesitated for a moment and glanced over the horizon to some far-away place. Ukitake tried to take advantage of the distraction but Shin'en hacked blindly and kept the captain at bay.

"Hmm, Number 10 has fallen...Such a shame, but it is to be expected of a child."

Ukitake suddenly stopped his offensive. "What? A child?"

"Oh yes. Number 10 was a mere child and it seems one of your brutes has gone and killed him. How barbaric. I will be glad when you shinigami are bowing before us and begging for your wretched lives. Maybe then you will feel remorse for your unforgivable actions."

That struck a chord with the elderly captain. Ukitake brought both blades down on the one spot. Even when it was guarded, Shin'en was stunned by the power behind the hit. The two remained with their swords crossed.

Ukitake's eyes blazed as he spat at his opponent. "You vile scum! I have fought for justice my entire life! I have been the defender of peace in my many decades here! How dare you say such things about us! You of all people have no right to preach about unforgivable actions!"

Shin'en pushed his foe back. "Is this about the los of your squad? Or are you more concerned about that blonde girl?"

"Kiyone? Were you the one who..." Ukitake trailed off. His confused stare returned to a venomous scowl. "You bastard!" He charged again and this time broke through Shin'en's guard and thrust a blade into his chest.

The agile Espada narrowly dodged, suffering a gash in his side as opposed to a hole in his gut. He smiled confidently as he manoeuvred around the captain and placed his blade against Ukitake's throat.

"Your skills are impressive, but rage dulls your blade."

Ukitake cursed.

"If you were not so enraged you would have been more than a match for me, but you shinigami are all slaves to your emotions. You should have lost such meaningless things when you died. Now you are forever cursed with the mortal weakness of emotion. This is why you will all die!"

Ukitake jerked his head back but Shin'en saw through it and grabbed his long grey hair. He then dragged the man down to the ground.

"Not a wise move, captain Ukitake. Such a foolish move may just cost you your life."

"Shut your mouth. How dare you speak to me like that! You will never prevail!" Ukitake crossed his sword and swung outwards. Shin'en leapt over the top of him and landed in a crouch several metres away. He pointed a bony finger at his opponent and it soon glowed bright red.

Ukitake watched on as the cero was fired at him. He closed his eyes and waited. The giant blast was heading towards him. He could feel the intense heat as it seared his skin and then-

'Boom!'

Ukitake stood alone on the battlefield. A smoking crater before him. Shin'en was somewhere inside the swirling mass of smoke and dust and rubble. He was down for now.

While he was out of action, there was another matter he had to attend to.

* * *

Rukia ducked under another wild slash from her opponent. Yami was incredibly fast and many a time her sword had nicked her, not fatally, but enough to cause waves of pain racing up along her arms and legs and all over her body.

She rolled aside as Yami thrust her sword at her and then in a swift counter-attack she raised her palms and shouted. "Hado 33 Blue fire crash down!" Rukia's hands glowed blue as a large fireball exploded out of her hands and collided with her foe.

Yami emerged from the smoke, barely fazed. She was laughing manically now.

"Ha! Is that the best you can do? I'm just getting started! I'll show you the true meaning of pain!"

Rukia did not want to wait around for that. She drew her sword and pointed it straight at Yami. She chanted under her breath, remaining calm so as not to ruin the incantation. When she was finished she opened her eyes and concentrated on Yami.

A great burst of ice shot forth from her blade. It was headed straight for Yami. It was too fast for her to dodge and it hit with a resounding explosions, throwing icicles high into the air.

Rukia panted, trying to catch her breath from the battle, but already she could feel someone's gaze boring into her back. She spun around only to be slapped hard in the face. She stumbled back and felt a sharp stabbing pain. She looked down and discovered a sword embedded in her gut.

Yami was standing over her, laughing mockingly. "You never even saw me dodge it huh? I'm pretty damn quick you know. Sadly for you, that means it's the end. I know I was instructed to keep you alive but I just can't resist. I'm gonna have to kill you!"

Rukia made an odd choking sound and collapsed to her knees. Blood was surging up through the wounds and covering her hands which feebly covered the wound to stem the bleeding. Her hands were sticky and her head was swimming. She was swaying from side to side like a tree in the wind. She could barely see, her vision starting to blur.

_Is this...The end? Ichigo...I'm so sorry..._

Yami drew her sword back and was about to deal the finishing blow when a blur of white crossed her vision. She lost focus and looked around nervously, but even then she could not stop the mysterious attacker from slamming himself into her.

They both landed in a heap and scrambled to their feet, immediately commencing a duel.

Rukia watched on dazedly. "Ukitake..."

Her captain glanced back with an expression of fear. "Rukia! You may not be able to fight, but please...Run! Run for your life! Run as far as you can! Don't let them find you-" Ukitake was cut off as a blade went through his back and jutted out his front. Shin'en had returned with vengeance on his mind.

While he was stunned Yami hacked at his front, creating a deep chasm in his flesh.

Ukitake roared with untamed fury and he swiped his blades at both warriors, cutting each one of them. As they moved to a safe distance Ukitake managed to yell again.

"Rukia! Get out of here! I'll stall them for as long as I can!"

"B-But..." She whispered hopelessly.

"RUKIA!" He cut her off. "RUN!"

"I can't!" She cried. "Not again!" I can't-"

"Leave now! Don't disobey your captain! I am ordering you to run!"

The two Espada moved in again. He managed to wound Yami but Shin'en sneaked in another shot at his back. Ukitake fell down on one knee and retaliated with a sudden kido. The explosion sent Shin'en hurtling through the air but Yami attacked his side. He barely managed to block it and became trapped in a deadlock with her while the other opponent recuperated.

The whole time Rukia watched on in horror. Too scared to abandon her captain, but too weak to fight. It was just like back then...Because of her, another person was about to die...

"RUKIA!"

With that she got up on her feet. Ukitake spread his arms wide and let out a roar of utter rage. His body became enveloped in a blue aura and the ground around him cracked and splintered. The courtyard became lost in a great explosion from the sky-rocketing reiatsu.

Rukia turned around and ran.


	12. Desperate Struggle

_**12...Desperate Struggle**_

Toshiro stared down his opponent once again as they sized each other up. After a short pause they rushed in again, seeking to inflict a fatal wound on their foe, but as with the other attempts the only wounds inflicted were mere cuts that barely fazed them.

Rather than retreat the two of them remained in close quarters and pushed themselves into a furious duel. Their swords clanged rhythmically in a speed so fast that the eye could no follow it. Only their heightened senses could detect the blindingly fast strikes and react in time.

The two continued to deal only minor wounds throughout their exhausting ordeal. Before long they both stepped back to catch their breath.

Honoo ducked in and swung his sword lazily, his energy drained. Toshiro stepped aside and drove his elbow into the Espada's nose. Honoo stumbled back and Toshiro went in for the kill, focusing on his exposed torso.

With sluggish grace he swooped in on his foe and brought his sword down, but it never hit flesh. Honoo had vanished. Toshiro only realised what had happened when it was too late. The searing pain of burning flesh woke him up and he dived out of the path of a large fireball.

He crawled back to his feet and gritted his teeth. His back had been scorched, leaving painful burns all over him. He struggled to stand but he took too long, allowing Honoo to unleash another fireball. This one struck him full in the chest and exploded upon impact.

Toshiro soared through the air and landed in a heap several metres away. His chest was now a horribly scarred mass of melted flesh. He tried to send forth a dragon made of ice, but the heat coursing through his body caused the dragon to melt into a liquid soup before it even left the tip of his blade.

Honoo stood over him triumphantly. "Alas, young dragon. You have fallen. All over Soul Society your comrades are dying. Do not fear, you will all meet again in the depths of hell!"

Toshiro propped himself up on his elbows so he could meet the gaze of his assailant. "Soul Society will not fall to you and your kind. You are just pitiful hollows. You only reached your peak strength through adopting our powers. Without them you would be as weak as the wretched scum you evolved from."

Honoo placed his blade over Toshiro's head, the point aimed right between his eyes. The heat emanating from it made Toshiro sweat profusely.

"Do not push me fool. I was going to make your death painless, but for your insolent words I may just have to make you suffer."

Toshiro reached up and grabbed the sword. His hand was now engulfed in ice, taking on the shape of a dragon's hand. Steam rose from the sword and the flames that raced along the blades edge seemed to dull.

"I have suffered...I live in a world ruled by violence. There is no peace because of monsters like you. That is why I became a shinigami...So I could bring peace to this world. Until I achieve that I will forever fight...And I shall suffer. Your threats are nothing to me!"

Toshiro swatted the blade aside and thrust his sword deep into Honoo's centre mass. His body spasmed and blood oozed out between his lips.

"Bastard..."

Toshiro glared into the eyes of his foe. "I will not let you hurt anyone else. I will destroy you and put an end to this war once and for all! No more will the people suffer!"

Honoo's pained expression suddenly shifted to a vile smile. "You really think so don't you?"

Toshiro's confidence faltered long enough for Honoo to slam his head against the young captain's. His bony helmet collided hard with Toshiro's unprotected skull and the young dragon staggered back as a trail of crimson trickled down his forehead. He swayed on his feet and struggled to conquer his dizziness.

In the state of distractions, Honoo took the time to step back and raise his reiatsu considerably. When Toshiro's gaze was back on him he took the flaming sword and swallowed it. Instantly his reiatsu exploded, rising high so suddenly that it made the ground shake.

Toshiro leapt out of the way and a raging inferno surrounded his opponent. Soon the flames took form. Honoo's body turned to a blackened crisp, glowing red eyes poked out from behind the helmet which extended down over most of his face now. The red spikes of hair suddenly changed to pillars of flame and his sword's blade disappeared, replaced with a concentrated inferno.

Toshiro's jaw dropped.

"This is my ressureccion!" Honoo roared, his voice echoing now with each word. "Tremble in fear as your flesh seeps from your bones like water. This battle is over now, young dragon."

Toshiro shot off a dragon of ice. It soared towards him but soon disintegrated before it had even come close to the target. In a panic Toshiro tried again and again, sending out three dragons at once, though they all succumbed to the unimaginable heat.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed. "I...I can't hit him! This is impossible!"

Honoo chuckled madly. "Prepare to die Toshiro Hitsugaya. Your end is near!"

As the blazing demon charged towards him Toshiro became paralysed. He was stuck in a horrified trance, watching on helplessly as his foe edge closer and closer. The ground beneath Honoo burnet to a crisp and became blackened pools of sludge in his wake. The buildings were set ablaze, surrounding them in a ring of fire.

Toshiro was trapped within Hell itself.

Honoo leapt into the air, his weapon raised high. "Die!" He roared.

Toshiro raised his blade defensively but such an action was unnecessary as Honoo was knocked out of the air by a wooden cane.

Honoo crashed to the ground, oblivious to the one who saved Toshiro.

The young captain's eyes widened as he recognised the weapon. The cane could only belong to one person...The captain commander of the Gotei 13...

Captain commander Genryusai Yammamoto Shigekuni strolled forth to retrieve his cane. Without turning to face him, he addressed the wounded captain.

"You fought well, but you must fight fire with fire. Brace yourself or you will die."

Toshiro took the warning and retreated from the ancient warrior. His reiatsu was already intimidating without even releasing his sword, but when he did Toshiro collapsed, crushed by the overwhelming pressure.

The captain commander released Ryujin Jakka, his Shikai, and faced his opponent who was now back on his feet. The two glared at each other silently.

"You are out of your league now. Stand down or be destroyed." Yammamoto snarled.

Honoo laughed mockingly. "Stand down? Never! If I take down the captain commander of the Gotei 13 then this battle will be over! I will crush you and bring Soul Society to its knees!"

The old man shook his head. "Very well. If you wish to die then come. I will end you before you cause any more trouble."

Honoo foolishly charged, screaming wildly. He did not make ten steps before he disintegrated, his body devoured by the great flames of the ancient dragon. The battle was over in seconds and the flames all vanished, leaving behind utter destruction in their wake.

The captain commander regarded captain Hitsugaya who was lying unconscious in the middle of the courtyard. He hit the ground with his cane and several fourth squad members appeared. They took the wounded captain away and left the old man to observe the damage.

"This war shall be costly. We are not prepared yet to defend against such an invasion, but no matter how many fall we shall continue to fight. Such is the way of the shinigami."

As he strolled away he cast his gaze to a large blue aura blazing in the distance. "I can only hope the other captains are faring well..." With that he set off back to his chambers in the centre of Sereitei.

* * *

Kage, the Espada prowling the twelfth squad barracks suddenly stopped. He cursed under his breath which came out as a menacing rasp. "Number 7 has also fallen? How pitiful. This battle couldn't be any easier."

He darted round a corner and slaughtered several unsuspecting shinigami. He climbed over their corpses and resumed his march through the labyrinth he had discovered. The captain of twelfth squad, the elusive madman, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had built his laboratory within the heart of a large maze, though it was not much of a challenge when the guards were not even expecting an attack.

Swiftly and silently, he drifted through the winding passages slaying all who came within reach. Eventually he would find the heart of the maze and the crazed leader within.

What Kage didn't know however, was that the captain was not obliviously residing in his lab like a sitting duck but was actually stalking the Espada, hiding within the walls of the maze as if he were one with the stone.

Mayuri was waiting...Picking his moment. Soon the battle would begin.

* * *

Ukitake roared with utter frustration. The blazing aura around him spread and burst forth into the sky, creating a pillar of wild blue flames. His two opponents jumped back to escape the violent inferno.

Shin'en stared at the enraged captain. "He is strong, immensely strong. Yami, we must be careful."

The young girl rolled her eyes while twirling her sword in a graceful dance. "Whatever! Let's just kill him and be done with it already. We can't let that girl run too far."

Shin'en nodded curtly before placing his Nodachi in front of him defensively. "Agreed. We shall destroy him."

The blaze around Ukitake exploded outwards before receding to its normal, thin glow around him. Ukitake crossed his two blades to create a spark and then wrenched them apart. "Come! I will send you all to Hell!"

The two Espada charged. Ukitake was fighting with renewed vigour and their attacks were consistently being blocked. Victory was slipping through their fingers rather quickly and they needed something to reclaim the upper hand.

Shin'en fell back and told his companion to do the same. They both glanced at each other, taking notice of the wounds that covered them. Even with two against one all three combatants were all injured. They needed more power if they were to overcome this warrior.

Shin'en stepped back and grinned at Yami. "Do it. It is the only way."

Yami stepped forth threw her sword to the sky. It fell back down, embedding itself in the earth. As soon as the blade contacted the ground black reishi erupted from it and enveloped the weapon's master. Yami giggled before reciting the chant.

"Tear them apart, Ennegrecido Corazon!" She cried as her body vanished behind the wall of black reishi.

Ukitake watched on cautiously, still keeping an eye on the other combatant. He already knew these two were not prone to fight fairly and one-sided ambushes were their favourite strategy. He had to be wary of both of them, but still; he found it hard to break his focus from Yami now.

The reishi had cleared to reveal her ressureccion. The tiny fanged jaws that covered her eye had now enlarged and now covered her entire face, except for the upper right quarter which remained the same. Her flesh had turned black and now blades grew out from her forearm and jutted out behind her. A long, thin tail lashed around behind her, its tip a bony blade.

"So this is your true form?" Ukitake asked. As he peered closer he noticed a number six on her chest. Ukitake nodded to himself. "So she is only number six. She shouldn't be too powerful then...But what of her partner?"

His contemplation ended there as Yami charged lightning fast. She was upon him in the blink of an eye. She swiped her arm at him but Ukitake blocked the blade attacked to it. He then ducked under her outstretched arm and thrust his second sword at her stomach.

Yami vanished again and re-appeared above him. Ukitake rolled away and sent off a kido blast to distract her. Yami swatted it away as if it were a fly and charged again. The two crossed blades, each warrior putting incredible force behind their strikes.

A small shockwave spread out from the two warring foes, yet neither one was disrupted by it. Their gazes focused solely on each other.

"Wretched hollow. I will send you back to Hell where you belong. Soul Society will never fall to your kind!"

Yami replied in a croaking voice. "You are quite talkative. A shame you can't back-up your words with your sword." She followed through effortlessly, pushing forward and forcing Ukitake to stumble backwards.

Before he could regain his footing she rushed towards him, arms drawn back. She was just within reach when Ukitake's reiatsu rose again. She hesitated long enough to allow him to break through her distracted defences and jab at her heart.

Yami only just rolled aside and the blade carved into her side. She gritted her fanged teeth and screeched a sound so ear-splittingly awful that Ukitake was put off balance. She lashed out in retaliation, kicking him hard in the stomach and then punching him in the face.

As Ukitake fell back she dragged her bladed arm across his centre mass and then followed with a spinning back kick. Ukitake was hurled far back into a chunk of loosened rock. It splintered under the impact and broke apart allowing him to fall to the ground.

The wounded captain spat up soil as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Even when he raised his reiatsu, it was not enough to stop them. He had to keep fighting, if not for his own sake then for Rukia and all of Soul Society.

For the noblest of causes he would continue to fight...No matter what the cost.


	13. Shallow Victory

_**13...Shallow Victory**_

Kage ventured further within the stone labyrinth, still oblivious to the curious observer who stalked him through the walls. The two wandered deep into the maze and still, Mayuri refused to budge, even when his troops were being massacred.

No matter how much blood was spilled, his game of cat and mouse held precedence. He had never been one to care for his people. As long as they did as he instructed they were of minimal worth but not enough to put the life of a captain at risk. In fact even if there was little risk the effort was too much to save those of such minute importance.

Although cold and cruel, Mayuri was the greatest genius in all of Soul Society. As leader of the Research and Development Bureau he was renowned for his intelligence. So impressive was his knowledge that it could at times overshadow his numerous peculiarities, most notably his appearance.

His flesh was painted solid white and mixed with black on his face to create the image of an unusual clown. A pharaoh's headdress rested upon his head and a thin strip of gold jutted out from his chin. His fingers ended in black nails, all cut to a uniform length, bar the nail on one middle finger which grew to a foot long.

The odd captain followed his prey all the way to the centre of the maze where his laboratory was situated. Now was far enough. Now it was time.

The stone wall crumbled and Mayuri stepped out into the open air, waiting for the wind to brush the dust from his haori.

Kage glared at him. "What the hell are you?"

Mayuri chuckled. "A good question, but I feel inclined to ask the same to you."

Kage grinned. "I am Kage. I am part of the Espada Oscuras."

"Espada eh? So what is your rank?" Mayuri inquired, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I am number eight. But do not underestimate me."

"I can do whatever I please against such a weak foe. I have slain your kind before and it was simple. You shall be no different." Mayuri grinned wickedly. "Why don't you give up this senseless fight and let me study you? All the original Espada were dust before I could analyse them."

Kage scowled. "Fool. I will never surrender to a cowardly scientist. You may be smart, but that will not save you in a fight!"

Mayuri rolled his eyes. "Yet another brute who thinks with his sword. Allow me to educate you on the true power of knowledge!"

Kage laughed mockingly. "Power of knowledge. What a pitiful attempt to intimidate me! Prepare yourself for the end!"

Mayuri closed his eyes and waited. Kage charged at him, falling for the simple ploy. Mayuri flash stepped behind the charging bull and sighed. "What a headstrong fool. You will do nicely to test my latest toy."

Kage shrugged off the insult and charged again, short sword in one hand and his claws bared in the other. He lunged at the captain once more who dodged effortlessly. Kage stumbled into a wall and leaned against it while he thought through his next move. His thoughts were disrupted by the crumbling wall behind him.

He rolled forward just in time to escape a grid of spears which burst forth from behind the wall.

Kage smiled. "Booby traps...Is that your ace up your sleeve? Such foolish trickery cannot defeat me!"

Mayuri grinned. "Oh really?"

The ground beneath Kage vanished and the unknowing Espada plummeted down into a darkened pit, crashing hard with the ground. He cursed and climbed back out, dusting himself off. He was bruised from the fall but still able to fight. On instinct now he started glancing down at his feet every so often.

"Coward. You hide behind you little toys. What a pathetic excuse for a warrior!"

Mayuri smirked. "I don't recall ever saying I was a warrior. I am a scientist and nothing more. Now be silent you impudent test subject."

Kage leapt up into the air and thrust his sword at his foe. Mayuri leaned back and grabbed the owner of the blade hurtling towards his face. When he had a good grip on Kage he spun him around to face a row of mounted crossbows. They each fired off a flaming bolt.

Kage caught one bare handed and hacked away two others, but two more bolts struck his leg. He dropped like a bag of sand and hit the ground hard enough to make it crack and break upon impact.

Mayuri dropped down beside him and held his sword beside his own head which tilted to one side until his neck creaked. His eyes widened and his grin spread. "Get him, Ashisogi Jizo." Purple mist erupted from the sword and surrounded him.

When it parted the unusual captain wielded a golden, three pronged sword. Each prong protruded from a deformed baby-faced guard. Spines struck out from beneath its chin and at the tip of the handle. From the mouth spewed forth venomous mist.

Mayuri chuckled insanely. "I have decided to kill you now. My traps were designed for simple hollows. A creature of your calibre must die by the sword, regardless of how weak he is."

Kage cursed. "Don't insult me! I will kill you!" He dashed forth with incredible speed but Mayuri dug his sword deep into his side. Kage spun around and attempted to slit Mayuri's throat, but something wrong. His sword arm refused to move. It hung limply by his side. Before he could retaliate the golden blade was once again thrust into his body. This time his legs gave way and he fell to his knees.

"Notice anything?" Mayuri cooed.

Kage spat at his opponent. "Bastard! What have you done?"

Mayuri studied his reflection in his own weapon. "I have injected a toxin into your bloodstream which attacks specific nerves. It prevents the affected area from movement but retains the pain receptors thus allowing you to feel the agony of your slow demise. Genius if I must say so myself."

"Genius you say...You are merely giving yourself the advantage of fighting a paralysed opponent. Where is your sense of honour? Are you so weak you have to fight a defenceless man to succeed?"

"Honour..." Mayuri stroked his chin. "I have never acquired such a thing. The way I see it honour is a weakness. A man's pride most often brings about his downfall. To do away with such senseless things victory can be assured. I'm afraid this will only become apparent when you are dead."

Kage used his one free arm to hurl his sword at Mayuri. It struck the unusual shinigami in the right shoulder and caused him to stagger back. His eyes narrowed and his smile vanished. He stared at the dark stain which spread across the front of his haori.

"That was a mistake, insolent fool. For that, I will destroy every last shred of your existence. Bankai!"

Mayuri's blade disappeared, leaving behind purple mist which spread out and soon formed a vague shape. As the particles moved together they began to materialize into a horrid monstrosity. The deformed face from Mayuri's sword now grew to immense size and from it grew a caterpillar's body which stretched on to the edge of the labyrinth. The giant creature took up almost the entire path between the stone walls.

Mayuri hopped up onto one of the walls and glared down at his enemy. "Eliminate the wretched scum, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo!"

The great writhing abomination crawled towards the wounded Espada. Its chest exploded in a brief burst of purple blood as a multitude of blade erupted from the once vacant space on its body. It let out an inhuman cry as it raced towards the target, its savage fangs dripping with saliva. The poisonous gas spewed out all over the labyrinth and left a purple haze on the entire area. The creature's frenzied crawl was damaging the walls and large sections split and collapsed under the stress.

Kage watched on in disgust and bowed his head. Without his sword he could not release his ressureccion and without the ability to move escape was impossible. Only death awaited him.

He had failed...A disgrace he would remember well into the afterlife. The great shadow fell over him, blotting out the sun. His battle was well and truly over and he so let out a dying curse before the horrid beast reached him.

Mayuri sensed the reiatsu dissipate and his menacing smile returned. "He was not worth studying." The odd-looking shinigami dropped down into the ditch left in the wake of his Bankai and shook his head. "I guess my fun is over for now..."

* * *

Shin'en lost focus on the battle before his eyes and instead he stared down at his hands. "Damn! Yet another of our brethren has fallen. We will all be wiped out if we keep this up much longer...Taru will be displeased with our failure but if we survive to fight another day we may just gain the upper hand."

He continued to contemplate his next decision while his comrade, Yami, fought against captain Ukitake. Her ressureccion had levelled the playing field so that she could fight on par if not better than her opponent. Both combatants had dealt serious blows to the enemy but neither would admit defeat until death arrived to claim them.

Ukitake panted heavily, his body wracked by the numerous wounds all over his body. He could not keep it up for much longer. He had lasted a while now. Hopefully Rukia had escaped to a safe place. Now the problem remained to be his own survival. From his observations of the two Espada, Yami was the weaker. But even so he was quickly losing his strength. His energy was draining with every laboured breath. He would not last. Even if he managed to slay her, Shin'en would make short work of him.

Ukitake shook his head and discarded the negative thought. He reinstilled his resolve to survive and soon his confidence returned. The once blazing aura was much thinner now but it still increased his strength. Even if he wasn't at his peak, he would not give in until the very end. This was a battle for his honour.

Ukitake roared defiantly as he charged. Yami met him and the tow crossed blades sending a vibrant rain of sparks down on the battlefield. The two were thrown back but instantly they went back for more, putting everything they had into their frenzied strikes.

Ukitake felt a jarring kick to his side but he ignored it to counter with a swift slash across Yami's front. Her glowing eye blazed with outrage and she retaliated with a combo of flying fists. She pummelled the elder captain and then threw him into a wall.

Ukitake coughed violently and pushed himself out of the dirt. It took a moment to steady himself but when he was balanced he set off again. As he neared Yami he feigned a strike to her left and she appeared to fall for it, but as he changed directions to hit the other side she too spun around and formed a hasty defence. She rolled beneath him and thrust her knee into his gut.

Ukitake stumbled back and let loose another kido blast. This one hit her while she was unaware and she tumbled over. With her back turned, the time to end the battle had arrived. All he had to do was cut her down.

He ran. He charged madly, roaring a great battle cry as he came within striking distance...

Then it began.

At first he just thought he was running out of breath but then his body seized up. He froze mid-stride, his legs refusing to budge, as if his feet had been cemented to the ground. His stomach clenched up and the worst agony he had ever felt took hold. Unable to control it, he coughed only this time the ground became flecked with blood.

_No! Not now! Any time but now!_

The terrible illness Ukitake had endured since birth had once again arose to break him down. Now in this critical moment when he needed his health the most, his body had betrayed him.

Ukitake fell to his knees and groaned. Both hands let go of the swords and clenched his chest. He could barely breathe. Blood dribbled down his chin and his vision was blurring. He coughed again and again, soon having a fit.

By now Yami was already back on her feet, rather content to watch the illness destroy him for her. She returned to her original form and smiled wickedly as the old captains life began to rot away with each violent, spasmodic cough.

"Ha! He's going to die by himself!" Yami gloated.

Shin'en nodded curtly. "It may be wise if we leave him be. We have lost too many soldiers. We must retreat while we still can."

"Huh?" Yami spun on her heels to face her comrade. "What do you mean? We're kicking their asses!"

Shin'en shook his head. "We have lost three brothers already. We must pull back and wait for the next opportunity."

Yami scowled. "Dammit!" She turned on the poor captain who was still stuck in a coughing fit on the ground. "You bastards! You killed our brothers! Now I have to run away like a coward! It's all your fault!" She proceeded to stomp on him, further crushing the wind out his already diseased lungs. Ukitake's eyes went wide and his skin went white.

"You stupid shinigami dog! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Yami kicked him full in the face and then stepped back to prepare another hit.

"Yami! Leave him be. Nature will claim him. Now we must leave." Shin'en interrupted.

Yami cursed and turned to leave but instantly spun back and booted the old captain in the ribs. She resumed her stomping until she felt the tip of a blade pointed against her throat. Her gaze shifted from the broken man to a shivering little shinigami with raven black hair.

Rukia tried to make her voice sound intimidating but the intermittent sobs made the facade crumble. "Leave him...I'm the one you want..."

Shin'en grinned. "This is perfect. Now we can retreat and still accomplish our mission."

Rukia trembled uncontrollably. Her sword was jittering almost comically in her shaking hands. Yami mockingly grabbed the blade bare handed and yanked it from her weak grasp. She then hurled it aside and reached out to the terrified girl.

Rukia tried to run but Shin'en was now standing right behind her. He wrapped a hand around her throat and the other around her waist.

"We shall take her with us. A hostage will further damage their morale and make it easier for us to defeat them." Shin'en opened a garganta and began to drag Rukia inside. Yami followed close behind. She smiled at Rukia, though it was not a friendly expression but rather a sadistic mockery.

"We're gonna have fun with you!"

Rukia gazed back at Soul Society and met the horrified stare of her captain. Ukitake's mouth hung open wordlessly. He extended a hand to her but it was far from reaching her. Rukia did the same, though she managed to find her voice and scream as loud as she could.

Then the abyssal portal closed and Rukia was gone.


	14. Escape

_**14...Escape**_

Rukia ran as fast as she could. The urgency in Ukitake's eyes had compelled her to obey. She had never seen such fear expressed by him. Yet, running away was making her feel worse. She felt powerless.

Always running, never fighting. It was the same situation every time and through it all, the ones she adored would always fall.

Kaien, the man she idolised long ago...Their last moments together had her running for her life. She was unable to save him so all she did was run. She tried to flee but she could never escape the torment, the guilt which gnawed away at her conscience. Urging her to go back.

She did go back...And she also brought about Kaien's death.

Then Ichigo came along. Soul Society was beginning to hunt her down so she tried to escape but once again it only caused more problems and almost ended in tragedy. Ichigo suffered terribly because of her. It was always her fault.

And now, here she was, once again rushing away from certain death, leaving behind a trusted comrade to face fate. Once more someone she cared for was about to die, shielding her from harm. And once again, she felt compelled to turn back and save them, regardless of her weaknesses.

She tried to fight the voices in her head, to drown them out, but before she knew it she was spinning on her heels and going back in the direction from which she came. She tried to steer herself away but it wouldn't work. Her body moved on its own accord, refusing to accept Rukia's cowardice.

She bolted, her legs burning. The muscles ached and she wished the pain would end, but she knew all to well...The pain was only just beginning. The story was beginning again. The tale of her arriving far too late to save her friend. The tragic end. The damaged young girl left behind.

_No!_

She cut of her mind's pessimistic trail of thought.

_No! I won't let Captain Ukitake die! I won't let anyone else be harmed for my sake! If it's me they want, then they will face me and no-one else! No more human shields. No more heartache. I will fight my own battles from now on...So please, Ukitake...Stay alive..._

She pushed on through the winding corridors until she arrived in the courtyard which was now a shattered crater. The walls were broken down and the ground torn apart by heated warfare. Across the broken battle-field she could see her captain, lying face down in the dirt. His opponent was standing over him, roaring like a denizen from hell whilst beating the life out of him.

Rukia's eyes narrowed. She rushed over and pointed her blade at Yami who slowly began to whirl around to face her. Rukia was terrified. If Ukitake was beaten by these warriors then how could she possibly defeat them? Her bravado shattered like a pane of glass and she felt fear creeping upon her once again.

She knew she had to say something before they saw through her facade. She opened her mouth to speak but a pitiful croak escaped her lips before any words did. She was weeping before she could speak. She forced herself to speak out though and managed to utter a short, jittery phrase.

"Leave him...I'm the one you want!" She tried to sound threatening but her creaking voice made her sound more like a child. Aside form that, tears were streaming down her cheeks, further breaking the image of a warrior.

Yami smiled. "Ha! Look at her! She's balling her eyes out!" She giggled as she grabbed Rukia's sword bare handed and wenched it from her white-knuckled hands. "You're pathetic. Ha!" Yami hurled the sword away and took a step towards the frightened shinigami.

Rukia instantly backed away, realizing she was in way over her head. She about faced and attempted a cowardly retreat but Shin'en was upon her instantly and wrapped a hand around her mouth, stifling her screams of terror.

The whole time, her captain looked up at her with a pained expression, almost betrayed even. He did not say a word, but Rukia knew what was on the tip of his tongue...

_Why? Why did you come back?_

He reached out desperately, as did Rukia but their hands were far from touching. Rukia was dragged inside a garganta which started to close, but before the portal was shut, Rukia let out a blood-curdling scream. Then it closed...

They were gone.

Ukitake rolled onto his back and stared up at the clouds. The agony from his injuries was eclipsed by the pain in his broken heart. Unable to stand, unable to cry out for help, he just lay still and listened to the quiet murmur of the breeze.

* * *

All over Soul Society, garganta were opening. The Espada were issuing a full-scale retreat. Each of the remaining warriors abandoned their individual battles and fled into the abyssal portals from which they came.

The unresolved conflicts ended without results. It was neither victory nor defeat, but a shade of grey between them both.

While some simply sat back and watched their opponents retreat, some refused to accept it and chased them.

Once such man, Shunsui Kyouraku hunted down his foe and unleashed an unrelenting offensive, preventing the enemy from entering the garganta. Whenever the cowardly Espada tried to run to the black hole in the sky Kyouraku would follow, cutting him off and forcing him into another fight.

It was futile however, as he eventually got the better of the enraged captain and fled through the garganta which closed instantly, leaving a broken man to grieve.

The first wave had passed...But the war was far from over.

* * *

Taru sat inside Tatsuki's living room, awaiting her return. She had been gone for quite some time, no doubt at the hospital where Ichigo was recovering. The orange haired brat was not even supposed to be involved, but it did not matter. He was now badly wounded, making things a lot easier for his plan to succeed. Ichigo's life was merely the fuse on a ticking time bomb. It was bound to run out soon, but first Taru had to take out a few more outside threats before turning to the main problem.

After all, the only reason Ichigo was such a danger to his success was due to his many friends. With so many willing to fight by his side it made him a powerful opponent, but when all of his comrades are dead and gone, then only a weakened little child will remain.

Taru became alerted to footsteps outside. His eyes narrowed and a wicked smile crept across his lips.

"Finally..."

The door was opened but it was not Tatsuki who came through. Taru's eyes widened at the sight of his fellow Espada, many scoring numerous wounds.

"What are you doing here?" Taru growled.

Shin'en bowed before his comrade. "Apologies, Taru, but we had to retreat."

Taru's expression shifted from mild irritancy to rage. "What? I told you to-"

Shin'en raised a hand to silence him. "We suffered too many casualties and so we decided to pull back and regroup. We do not want to lose all our men on a hopeless battle. Such foolishness is what Aizen allowed and that is why he failed. We need to conserve our strength for the real battle."

Taru scowled at him "Who have you allowed to fall?"

"Number ten, eight and seven." Shin'en replied calmly. "We are sorry to report their loss but even so the damage caused to Soul Society will not be undone any time soon."

"How many captains have you slain?" Taru inquired.

"None as of yet, but their morale is truly shattered. We have broken them down to the point of weakness. The next assault shall result in the deaths of all those wretched captains." Shin'en grinned. "We also have a hostage."

"A hostage?" Taru raised his brow. "Interesting. Who is it?"

Shin'en waved a hand and Yami stepped forward, holding something covered in a black sheet. When she removed the sheet Taru recognised the face immediately.

A cruel smile crept across his lips. "Rukia Kuchiki eh? This is excellent. With her we can destroy them all. Let us leave this place."

"But what of the Arisawa girl?" Shin'en asked.

Taru chuckled menacingly. "Never mind her. I have set my sights on someone else now."

* * *

Within the walls of Sereitei an emergency captains meeting was in progress. The previously embattled captains now gathered, baring their battle-scars to all. All wore grim expressions and all remained silent as the captain commander approached the head of the assembled rows of captains.

The withered old man's face creased up forcing wrinkles to crop up all over. His eyes remained closed but everyone could feel his icy gaze upon them.

"You all know why I called you here?"

The captains nodded morosely. They indeed knew why they were summoned. They had faced the threat first-hand and the nightmare had not yet passed, even with the enemy gone.

The captain commander bashed his cane on the floor.

"We were caught off guard. A large enemy force managed to sneak into our camps and cause severe damage. I demand reports from each of you before we decide on our course of action."

Soi Fon stepped forward and bowed. "As of yet, our squad has been relatively unscathed. The enemy did not reach our quarters."

The captains went around, reporting their damage. Half of the squads survived the onslaught with their forces intact but others suffered heavy casualties.

Kyouraku stepped forward and bowed his head. "I have lost everything. I am all that's left. Even Nanao has fallen."

Kenpachi grinned. "I killed one of them. Still, he managed to take down quite a few of my men, but I have reserves. Next time I won't give them the chance to lay a finger on my troops!"

Mayuri frowned. "My laboratory has been demolished. My lead researchers are all dead and the majority of my guards are also deceased. I have only basic equipment at my disposal until the rest is replaced. I too have slain one of these Espada."

Next up was Ukitake. Two fourth squad members supported him to allow him to stand. "I have lost everything. I have only two subordinates alive. Kiyone is in the infirmary, still too injured to rise. And as for Rukia...They have taken her."

Gasps and murmurs ran through the assembled captains. Yammamoto silenced them by hitting his cane on the floor once again.

"Silence! After hearing your reports I have decided on the following. The un-manned squads, numbers three, five and nine will now be led respectively by Kyouraku, Ukitake and Mayuri. Use these troops wisely as they are our only reserves."

The three captains bowed.

"As for the issue of the damage, we shall get started on the repairs to the vital areas such as the Research and Development centre. In regards to the Espada, we shall wait for them to return."

"What?" Kyouraku exploded. "We have to stop them now before more lives are lost! We can't just let them pick away at our forces like this!"

The ancient captain seemed unperturbed by the argument. "They have means of accessing our land. If we were to send large forces out to combat this menace they could very well move around it and ambush those of us left behind here. We cannot allow that to happen."

"But-"

"We will solidify our defences and prepare for their next strike. They will not have the element of surprise this time and so their advantage will be lost."

"What about Rukia?" Ukitake stepped forward to join Kyouraku. "What of her rescue?"

The old man sat back on his throne and seemed to ponder it for a moment before replying with a sudden, "No."

The two defiant captains gasped at the heartless decision. "What? Why are you abandoning her?"

"By taking Kuchiki Rukia hostage they are trying to lure us into their hands, but we will not fall for such petty plans. We will ignore her situation and soon enough they will bring their forces into our territory once again."

"But...What if they kill Rukia? If we don't save her now-"

"We have lost many in this battle already. One more is not much of a sacrifice for the protection of others." The old man bashed his cane on the hard wood floor. "You are dismissed. Stand by and be wary of your enemy. They are cunning. We cannot let them defeat our proud army and nor shall we let them reach Aizen."

"Aizen? You mean...They want to free him?" Kyouraku asked, shocked.

"As of yet their motives are unclear, but as Espada they serve under Aizen. I can only assume they wish to set him free and aid him in achieving his vile ambitions. We must prevent this at all costs. Now be gone. We must rebuild our defences."

The captains began to depart, returning to their respective territories, but some of them remained outside the first squad barracks, all sharing uneasy glances.

Ukitake leaned against Unohana while Kyouraku approached him. The two both bowed their heads in defeat. "This is truly abominable. To abandon a comrade without even a slight hesitation. Yamma-ji is heartless."

Ukitake nodded sombrely. "We have to rescue her. They were targeting Rukia from the very start, so there must be something about her...Something important to them."

"Well, she was harbouring the Hogyoku…" Kyouraku mused. "Maybe there is a remnant of it still residing within her? If so then we have to save her before they find it."

Ukitake stared at his hands. They were scarred from his recent battle. He had blisters from where he had gripped his sword too hard. There were thin bandages wrapped around them, but he could still make out blood on his hands. He sighed deeply. "Rukia saved my life. She sacrificed herself to spare me...Now I have to return the favour. I swear to you Rukia...No matter where you are...I will save you!"

* * *

Over 10,000 hits! Thank you to everyone who has followed the story so far and an extra thank you to all those who have reviewed, your kind praise has kept me going. 


	15. Scarred

_**15...Scarred**_

Tatsuki visited the hospital each day for an entire week. Each day Ichigo was just lying there, though sometimes he would be accompanied by doctors as they monitored his progress. Never was he awake. They had to feed him through tubes. The blood transfusions were over now, the skin grafts had been completed, the wounds were beginning to heal...Soon he would be released.

Tatsuki entered the room as per usual, but this time Ichigo was sitting up his eyes open. The calm brown orbs focused solely on a spoon in front of his face. He shovelled the food into his mouth and chewed it slowly, his expression one of deep thought. It wasn't until he was about to spoon up more of the mush that he noticed her standing there out the corner of his eye.

Silently he craned his neck to the side to see her clearly. He was on the verge of squinting at her when she introduced herself.

"It's me, Tatsuki. I'm your friend." She spoke slowly and calmly.

Ichigo frowned. "I know who you are. I don't have brain damage."

Tatsuki giggled nervously. "Sorry. It's just...I thought-"

"I saw Rukia." Ichigo interrupted her. "When you came through that door I saw her instead of you."

Tatsuki couldn't find words at that moment. She just sighed and looked away. "I miss her too."

It was silent for a while and the two both lost themselves to their own thoughts rather than with each other. It was some time until Tatsuki broke it.

"I was so worried. I was scared you weren't going to wake up...So I came here every day to check up on you. I'm so glad you're alive..." She smiled weakly but the pain in her heart made it difficult to show much joy. "I'm no longer alone..."

Ichigo raised his brow but said nothing. Instead he tried to change the subject. "How long have I been here?"

"Nine days." Tatsuki answered precisely.

"Oh..." Ichigo trailed off. "So, how is Orihime?"

The question was one of innocent concern, but it was like a knife through her heart. Tatsuki clasped her hands over her heart and looked down to the floor. Her eyes started to shimmer as glistening tears slid down her pallid cheeks.

Ichigo wasn't sure what it meant and pressed the question further. "Is she alright?"

Tatsuki closed her eyes and started to tremble. Ichigo continued to press the question, desperate to learn of his friend's condition, recklessly unaware of the damage he was causing. Tatsuki tried to stay calm but her composure was swiftly dissipating like a puddle in the sun.

She could sense Ichigo's confusion and in a fit of rage and sadness she screamed at him, "Orihime is dead!" She fell to the floor and started sobbing, letting out fitful wails of agony.

Ichigo sat back in his seat and stared at his hands. The bandages had come off revealing the fresh new skin which was still lined with thin white scars. "I couldn't save her...If I still had my powers...Maybe I could have..." He trailed off and cursed under his breath. He wanted to help Tatsuki to her feet but he was still restrained to the bed, held in place by the tubes still stuck in his arms. He was helpless and so he had to stay put and listen to every heart-broken cry, watch every tear fall, feel her sorrow...In a way it was more painful than the flames ever were...

"They couldn't save her." Tatsuki whispered between sobs. "Sh-she was already d-d-dead when they found her..."

Ichigo cursed. "Who did it?"

Tatsuki suddenly stopped crying, the tears freezing in the corners of her eyes. "Huh?"

Ichigo repeated himself, this time his voice dripping with rage. His usual tone had vanished in favour of a deep growl. "Who did it?"

"I don't-"

"I'll kill them!" Ichigo roared, yanking the tubes from his body. He leapt to his feet only to stumble and fall. Tatsuki reached out to him but he refused her aid. "I won't be the helpless one! I may not have my powers but I can still protect you all! I should have saved her!"

"Ichigo..."

He was already climbing up the bedside table, balancing precariously against it as he tried to find his footing. "I won't let this go unpunished!"

"Ichigo! It was an accident! There was a gas leak and nothing more!" Tatsuki averted her gaze. "Besides...You aren't well. You need to rest."

"I've rested enough dammit! That fire wasn't an accident!"

"How do you know? You can't even sense spiritual power anymore! Just let it go Ichigo!"

"Never! Orihime was murdered and I won't rest until I-" Ichigo was flung back by a heavy punch. Tatsuki panted heavily and sank to the floor.

"Why don't you trust me? Why does it still feel like we are from different worlds?"

Ichigo took deep breaths and stared at her. The hit hadn't completely returned him to his senses but the veil of madness that had swept over him had mostly passed now, leaving a bitter, broken young man behind. He said nothing, merely stared.

"You need some rest. Take care Ichigo." Tatsuki whirled around and left Ichigo to dwell on his hopeless situation.

* * *

Isshin sat at home with his family, staring vacantly at the empty place set at the dinner table for his hospitalized son. He had not mentioned it to Yuzu, instead allowing her to carry on the odd little task without further hurting her feelings.

Despite barely knowing Orihime, the news of the girl's death had affected Yuzu terribly. In a way the two girls were alike, both caring immeasurably for anyone, regardless of whether they were friend or foe, stranger and friend.

The news of Ichigo's condition had only made thing's worse. They had seen Ichigo in hospital quite a few times but this time it hit harder than the rest. This may have been written off as an accident, but it was such a terrible thing...Was it really just a simple gas leak?

Isshin poked the meat with a fork, barely even glancing at his meal which had long gone cold. His two daughters ate slowly, keeping wary glances on their father.

"So..." Yuzu murmured trying to force conversation. "Today's math test was pretty hard, but I think I went really well!" The others didn't seem to notice, as if deaf to her vain attempts at breaking the depressive silence.

They were all in pain, but Yuzu was the one trying to make things better. She tried to be brave, as Karin had always told her. She had to suck up the tears and put on a smile, no matter how tough things got...Because that's what her mother wanted...for her to be happy.

Yuzu's rigid smile remained for the rest of the meal, but when Karin made her leave it began to falter.

"I'll be in my room." She said in a cold voice, one that was as dead as the atmosphere in the room. She drifted off like a long forgotten ghost and soon after Isshin stepped up from the table, closing his eyes and keeping them shut for quite some time. When they opened again the whites of his eyes were marred by red veins popping up all over. Black rings under his eyes proved evidence of the sleepless night he had suffered while Ichigo was in hospital.

Yuzu was helpless to pry her eyes away from his haggard expression. She stared deep into his tortured eyes and felt the same agony well up within her.

"Thanks sweetie. The food was delicious." He patted her head, kissed her cheek and then went in the other room.

Yuzu's eyes drifted down to her father's untouched meal. She sank back down in her chair and buried her head in her hands. Finally, when no-one could see her, she cried.

* * *

Isshin surfed through TV channels, sagging on the couch, his eyes on the screen but never watching. He was falling asleep, his mind flickering in and out of consciousness like an old light bulb. He was jerked awake by the deafening ring of the telephone.

He snatched it from its holder and brought it up to his mouth. "Hello?"

"Hello, is that Mr Kurosaki?" The voice was that of Ryuken Ishida, the head doctor at the hospital. He and Isshin had been friends for many years despite their differences. His voice was tinged with a slight croak.

"Ishida, you sound unwell...Have you caught a cold or something?"

"Nothing to worry about, not when there are more pressing matters at hand."

Isshin's expressions darkened. "Ichigo?"

"Of course. We have done a thorough check-up on the boy. He is awake now and the surgery is over for now. Usually we would keep the patient's in for a while longer just as a precautionary procedure, but since you are a qualified practitioner, I have decided to let him go tonight."

"Really?" Isshin felt a glimmer of hope rise up inside him.

"I know how attached you are to that troublesome child. I am sure you are miserable without him. Consider it as a gift from me."

"You're being rather generous. Are you sure you're not sick?" Isshin joked, for once in a joyful mood.

"I am fine, merely a sore throat. I may lose my voice but that would be the worst of it."

"Well, you have little to talk about do you?" Isshin laughed at his little joke and quickly heard the stampede of light footsteps of his daughters. As soon as they burst into the room Isshin beamed at them and spread one arm out wide. "Ichigo is coming home!"

The children failed to grasp what he said at first and so they stared listlessly at him for a few seconds until smiles crept up on their innocent faces. They ran over and hugged their father, all of them feeling warmth that had been extinguished by tragedies of the past, but re-lit by hope.

They waited on the couch, eagerly awaiting the knock on the door.

* * *

Ichigo rotted in his hospital bed, his scowl ever present. He couldn't shake the feeling that the fire was deliberate, but Tatsuki's words had damaged his conviction. She honestly believed it was accident...And as she had said, they were friends, meaning they shared a level of trust that even a doctor cannot achieve. For that reason, he had to believe her as well...But...

A knock on the door broke his concentration. The white-haired doctor Ishida stepped through, approaching his bed cautiously.

"I heard from your friend Miss Arisawa that you were having a bit of an ordeal earlier. I trust your rage has subsided?"

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed. "Please...Please tell me, was it an accident?"

Doctor Ishida adjusted his glasses and frowned. "You really desire the truth?" Ichigo nodded curtly. "Very well...The fire was deliberately lit. A gas leak was involved but under suspicious circumstances. The main had been tampered with and traces of gasoline were discovered at the scene."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I cannot answer that. I'm afraid Orihime must have done something wrong to anger the wrong kind of person..."

Ichigo grabbed the doctor by his collar and roared.

"How dare you! Orihime would never do anything wrong! No-one could ever find an excuse to kill her! She was completely innocent dammit! She cared about everyone and tried her best to help them all! How could anyone want to hurt her?" He let go and started hyperventilating.

Doctor Ishida sighed while dusting himself off. "You have acquired a high level of stress from this incident. I suggest you spend some time with your family in your final stages of recovery."

"Huh?" Ichigo panted. "You mean...I can...See my family?" He spoke fitfully, squeezing several words between each wheezing breath.

Ryuken nodded and handed him a sheet of paper which had been filled out and signed. "I have done all the paperwork. You can go home to your family tonight. I have already notified them of your arrival. Get dressed and then you can go."

Ichigo smile thinly. "Thank you."

"It is no problem. I seek to end pain, not cause it. Home-sickness is a leading cause of stress amongst patients. Being away from your family when you need their support is a trial for many people. Since your father is a trusted friend a licensed medical practitioner I see no reason to keep you here any longer."

Ichigo was already getting dressed before Ryuken had even left the room. By the time he was out the door Ichigo was chasing after him, walking down the corridor as fast as he could. Running was difficult for him in his injured state so he resorted to power-walking instead.

He hailed a taxi from outside the hospital and then watched the world soar past the window, mesmerized by the city lights he had not witnessed for far too long, trapped within the medicinal labyrinth of Karakura hospital.

"I'm going home..." He whispered to himself.

* * *

Isshin was woken up by a gentle knocking on the door. He slid out from under the arms of his children and approached the door.

"Ichigo...You're finally home."


	16. Tragedy

_**16...Tragedy**_

The excitement of returning home had reinvigorated the young Kurosaki boy. His hands were shaking and his eyes were darting to and fro in a rabid search for familiar places and people. It was as if he was tourist, returning to a spot he remembered from his childhood...Even if it had only been nine days; it felt like it had been years.

Lying in a bed, completely numb to the world, no longer able to feel the reassuring presence of his family and friends. All he could feel was pain, whether it was in his charred flesh or his fractured heart. Despite not knowing what happened to Orihime he felt terrible for not rescuing her sooner. Even if she had come out unscathed he would have felt guilty.

The cab pulled up at a set of traffic lights and the driver whirled around in his seat to face his passenger.

"You're a quiet one aren't you?" The driver asked, His shoulder length grey hair bouncing with the flick of his head. His eyes appeared to be scarred by age as they were almost as grey as his hair. Despite that he had very few wrinkles.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and ignored the comment, still pre-occupied with thoughts of home.

The driver realised he would not get a word out of the boy and returned his attention to the road just in time for the green light. The cab rolled off again and continued the journey.

Ichigo recognised his street when they turned into it and he could see the Kurosaki clinic stand out from the smaller houses it was tucked between. It was a two storey building barely fitting between two dwarfed single storey houses. As they drew closer the light blue sign out front could be seen.

In fine, hand-painted characters it spelled out: Kurosaki Clinic. Ichigo felt a sense of nostalgia, reminiscing the day his entire family had joined in to paint the sign. It had been a day when the sun was still bright in the sky and his mother was still with them.

Yuzu and Karin were too young to do the letters so they merely made hand-prints on the blank areas while he and his father did the background. Yuzu had run up to her father and given him a great big hug, not noticing her hands still wet with paint. They had all laughed at the big blue splotches on his white shirt.

While he went to clean things up Masaki finished the job, delicately painting the letters with a steady, slender hand. She had stopped after a while and asked if Ichigo wanted to do the honours of the final letter. He was hesitant at first but his mother had a way of making him do anything...Just by smiling.

He had taken up the brush and rushed through the job, accidentally making an error and spilling a bucket of darker paint all o ver the lower corner of the sign. He had cried over his foolish mistake but Masaki's angelic, soothing voice made him feel better. She gave him a hug and whispered in his ears so softly that it mixed with the breeze until it was barely audible.

"Ichigo, no matter what goes wrong I am always proud of you. I will always be proud of you Ichigo..."

He was snapped awake from his dream when he heard the taxi driver impatiently demand his money for what could have been one time too many. Ichigo frowned and handed him the money before sliding out of the taxi. He glanced over at his home and noticed the front door was already open for him yet no-one was standing there...Ichigo smirked.

_Dad always sucked at surprises..._

He strolled over to the front door and knocked softly. "Hello? Is anyone there?" He asked in an over-dramatic voice. He stepped inside the front room and looked around. "Oh, I wonder if anyone is even here? Maybe they all went out?" He continued in his melodramatic tone. He spun around in a circle and pretended to look dazed. "Oh, I hope no-one jumps out and surprises me?" He waited for a moment before repeating the line.

No-one jumped out. Ichigo frowned and walked into the kitchen. There was a place set for him, while the rest of the plates had been washed. He placed a finger a slice of meat and found it stone cold. He put it in the fridge and decided to reheat it later, but first things first he had to find his family, who were still hiding from him.

They were just being stupid now. He had already caught out their silly surprise party tactic yet still they were waiting. It wouldn't end until he found them...Or vice versa. But if that happened then Isshin would never shut up about it. He couldn't let that happen.

He went to the stairs and made his way up to the landing. He felt an odd breeze brush against his face, yet there was no open windows to allow such a thing through...He shrugged it off and entered Yuzu's room first. It was empty.

Next he tried Goat-Chin's room, also empty.

Finally, he barged through his door, rolling into a crouch and spreading his arms wide. "Surprise!" He yelled out to no-one. He was alone in his room.

"What the hell? Where are they hiding this time?" He over heard sounds of movement downstairs and a smile crept up on his face. He bounded out of the room and across the hall, stifling laughter as he raced to beat his family at their own game.

He leapt down the stairs and suddenly felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He must have pushed himself too hard and aggravated his injuries...He waved the thoughts aside and proceeded into the living room...

A scream unlike any other escaped from that room, one of unrelenting terror, shock and the most powerful fear.

* * *

Isshin had approached the door, expecting Ichigo to return home. He wrenched the door open and spread his arms wide, only to be embraced by cold steel. His smile suddenly vanished and he stared into unfamiliar eyes. His son was no-where to be seen. Instead, a gang of vicious strangers confronted him.

Isshin was pushed inside and he slammed into the wall with a hard thud. He sank to the floor but was helped up by two of the assailants. The others either stood to attention or moved around to the front of the couch to where the sleeping children were lying on the couch.

Isshin tried to scream but he was knocked hard by a heavy punch to the jaw. The fist felt like a sledge hammer and his head was spinning afterwards. He could taste the foul taste of blood in his mouth and it dribbled down his chin when his head slumped forward.

One of the assailants moved behind him and crossed his arms around his torso, holding him in place while the other struck him several times. Isshin couldn't move, his mind lagging far behind his body making it impossible to react.

The two girls suddenly screamed and Isshin's eyes shot wide open. He hopelessly extended a hand to them but that hand was then wrenched behind his back until it was on the verge of breaking, forcing him to double over, making it easy enough for the assailants to drive him into the floor.

He looked up in time to see Yuzu flipping over the couch to land at his feet. Her face was only a foot away from his and she gazed into his eyes, barely able to see him through the stinging tears which rolled down her cheeks.

"Dad..." She was about to say something else when a female assailant grabbed her legs and dragged her away. Yuzu screamed and grabbed hold of her father's wrist. He wrapped his hand around hers and stared deep into her eyes.

"Yuzu! I won't let them hurt you! I promise!" A boot stomped down on his arm and a horrible crack made him shriek in agony. He was allowed to roll over onto his back and curl into a ball, grasping his broken arm.

"Isshin Kurosaki." A cold voice spoke from nearby. A young, black-haired boy kneeled down in front of the fallen man. "I thought you were a captain? Where is your strength now?"

Isshin's eyes narrowed. "What? How did you know...Who are you?"

"I'm sure you've heard of us...I'm sure Kisuke would have told you...If he was alive." The boy laughed venomously.

Isshin cursed under his breath. "Espada...Oscuras..."

"Ah, you do know of us? Well then I'm sure you know why we are here?"

Isshin fought his captors and rose to his knees to be level with Taru. "If you want to kill me then do it! But don't you dare hurt my little girls! They have nothing to do with this! They are innocent!"

Taru smirked. "Is that their excuse? Innocence? I hardly see that as a valid reason."

Isshin spat in his face. The mixture of saliva and blood dripped down Taru's face while the cruel warrior listened in on Isshin's words.

"You fucking monster." He snarled, a sound so deep it could have come from the bowels of hell. "I'll make sure you pay for this...You hear me? I'll make you pay!"

Taru seemed unaffected for a moment but then he grabbed Isshin's throat, clenching his fingers around his trachea and digging his nails in. Isshin wheezed and clawed at the evil boy but Taru's minions held him back.

"I am not ready yet. I am waiting for someone...Someone you might know-"

"Leave Ichigo out of this!" Isshin roared. "He doesn't even have his powers anymore! He lost everything in his fight against Aizen! He can't even see you!"

Taru rolled his eyes. "He can see me quite well. But you see, even if he is no longer a threat to us, I still have plans for him. Now our little friend should be walking through that door any moment so I want you to be quiet."

Taru clicked his fingers and a garganta opened. "How about we play hide-and-go-seek?"

* * *

Ichigo stepped into the living room and was barrelled over by a blood-curdling scream. The room was empty but when he blinked suddenly the room was full. He jumped back only to bump into someone.

He whirled around and met the gaze of Taru, the new boy from school.

"What the hell are you doing here? Who are these people?" Ichigo hadn't worked it out yet. It wasn't until he was pinned to the floor by two of the intruders that he felt something was very wrong. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki. You have such a nice family. A shame, really that they had to face me."

Ichigo's eyes went blank. "Huh?

Taru clicked his fingers and suddenly his father materialized out of thin air and dropped to the floor. He was covered in blood. Numerous cuts and bruises covered him. His eyes were wide and pleading, urging his son to save him. His mouth hung open in a silent cry of pain.

Ichigo writhed about but the two assailants kept him pinned down on his stomach. He cursed and doubled his efforts but even then he was still not strong enough to shake them off.

"Dad! What's going on? What have they done to you?" Ichigo was screaming through tears of rage and sorrow.

Isshin was about to reply when Taru botted him square in the face, knocking him out. Ichigo roared at his captor with uncontrollable anger. "You bastard!"

"Quiet now, Ichigo." Taru murmured. "Be a good little boy and I won't have to hurt him again."

"Fuck you!" Ichigo spat.

"How rude. Maybe I should just kill the lot of them? Unless you're willing to be still?"

Ichigo wanted so much to tear him apart but he refrained from doing so and quietened down, glaring at Taru with all the contempt he could muster.

"So Ichigo, I heard you were once a great shinigami, a true warrior. You even defeated Aizen. I must say how admirable your courage is, but it has also come to my attention that you have fallen from grace." Taru grinned menacingly. "You have lost all your powers, correct?"

Ichigo bowed his head in a pitiful nod. "Yes." He grumbled.

"Well, that is great news if I must say so myself. You see, Aizen was a pretentious fool. He saw himself as a God when he was merely another power-hungry shinigami, doomed to die before achieving his dreams. It is no wonder he was defeated, but even so, it was only due to the powerful allies Soul Society had in reserve, such as you and Kisuke Urahara. Had you never been involved Aizen would have succeeded."

"You work for Aizen?" Ichigo asked.

"No, we were created by him but we never saw him as a fit ruler, so we left him to destroy himself while we waited for the right moment to swoop down and take control of the situation. That time has finally come to pass and that is why I am here."

Taru began to pace around the room. "As you can see, a mere handful of warriors are unable to take on all of Soul Society in a head-on charge. And even if we did, their powerful allies would arrive to protect the cowardly shinigami dogs! Therefore, I have decided to cut down the competition before charging in for the true battle."

"Cowards!" Ichigo growled. "You know you cannot win!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. Soul Society has already been crippled by my comrade's kind welcome. Several squads have already been fully eradicated and their captains left for dead. Better still, I have taken care of that wily Kisuke Urahara and his minions." A vile smirk crept up on his face, relishing in the disbelief and shock on Ichigo's face.

"Im-Impossible! Urahara is..."

"Dead. " Taru finished for him. "Can you tell what this all means now?"

Ichigo bowed his head. "You want to kill me so that I can't interfere with your grand scheme."

"Clever boy." Taru clapped mockingly. "But a swift death is too generous for one such as you. You killed our brothers. For that I shall make you suffer!" Taru's eyes flickered with madness.


	17. Prophecy

_Warning: This chapter may be potentially upsetting to readers. This is a tragedy and you have been warned._

_**17...Prophecy**_

Ichigo had never felt so powerless. Without the ability to fight he was just a pathetic nuisance to everyone around him and yet he was still sought after by the enemy. They were relishing in this moment of weakness. Ichigo was as much of a threat to them now as a kitten and that meant they could finally exact their vengeance upon him.

Defeat was imminent. Not only would he die but his family were doomed to suffer merely as a means of rubbing salt into Ichigo's wound. This was a nightmare he had never imagined and yet here it was.

No one had predicted further targeting of Ichigo and so no protective measures were put in place. His time as a Soul reaper was simply forgotten, swept under the rug as if it were not important. No-one would think to seek out the fallen substitute shinigami. He was alone, powerless and worst of all...He was afraid.

Taru smiled at his victim's obvious discomfort. This was all just a big joke to him. Taru grabbed Ichigo by the hair and slammed his face into the floor. He then did it again and again. Ichigo spat the mouthful of blood at Taru's feet and was punished by a hard boot to the ribs.

As a mortal the blow was one of the most painful things he had ever experienced. He felt his bones cracking under the pressure and he let out a pained wheeze which was strangled out of him by his captors.

One of the assailants put him in a choke-hold while the other held his arms back and stood on his feet. Taru attacked mercilessly, launching punch after punch into the poor child's abdomen.

When Ichigo was experiencing breathing difficulties and having a coughing fit Taru clicked his finger and the two assailants threw him to the floor. One stepped aside while the other kept him down with one large boot.

"You brought this upon yourself Kurosaki. You deserve every punishment imaginable. I should torture you for days, breaking every fibre of your existence until you are nothing and then break you down more until you beg for death. But unfortunately, I don't have all the time in the world. I will have to bring an eternity of torment into only one night."

"Bastards!" Ichigo snarled through crimson-flecked teeth. The one restraining him stomped on his spine and Ichigo cried out in agony as his broken ribs ground against the floor.

"Before I continue...I want to see you cry."

Ichigo lay face down, trying to drown out everything around him and just die in peace. Unfortunately that was not going to happen, not as long as these cruel warriors had him under their control.

Taru nodded to a long-haired man who brought forth Isshin Kurosaki. The bloodied and beaten old man coughed violently as he was dragged by his throat and dropped near his ill-fated son. The two gazed into each other's eyes, both of them apologetic to one another.

"Take a good look at him Ichigo. He will be nothing but pulp when we're done with him. And as for your little darling sisters-"

"You leave them out of this!" Ichigo roared, actually managing to force his captor off of him. He rose to his feet and rushed towards Taru only to be taken down by four opponents at once. As he was struck in every vital area he crumpled to the floor and curled up into a ball, grasping his aching stomach.

Taru clapped mockingly and laughed. "You are tough. I commend your efforts but you must not realise how hopeless your situation is. The more you anger me the more your family suffers. If you really cared about them you would just lay down and die like a good dog!" He spoke with such venom that Ichigo felt each word as if it were a knife in his chest.

He clenched his fists and bashed them on the floor. "You're wrong! I do care about them...That's why...That's why I won't let you hurt them!" Ichigo tried to rise again but the same multiple take-down occurred. This time Ichigo's chin was spattered with bloody saliva and his mouth was so full of the stuff he was practically drowning. Every single breath caused him discomfort as his lungs pressed against his shattered ribs. Ichigo stared up at the ceiling and tried to get his breath back. There had to be a way to save them.

Taru sighed. "Well, it seems you just aren't getting the point. Yami! Bring them out!"

Ichigo was kicked onto his side so he could see his two sisters dragged into the living room. Their gazes met and in that instant Ichigo felt gutted. He couldn't meet their gaze form sheer guilt. He had to look away, hiding not only his face, but the tears that were streaming down his cheeks.

"It seems I have to show you the consequences for your reckless stupidity." Taru drew his sword and stood over the girls like a medieval executioner. He raised the blade high and his eyes flickered with unrestrained madness.

"NO! Please don't! I'll do anything!"

"Hmm, a persuasive argument..." The sword came down in disregard for his words. One of the Kurosaki twins doubled over and landed face first on the floor. Her back was torn open with a huge, deep gash that bled profusely. Her body spasmed for a moment before going still.

Ichigo reached out and screamed. "NO!"

Despite the tragedy, everyone around him was laughing as if the greatest joke ever had been told. Some were grasping their sides, some doubling over, lost in unnatural mirth and joy.

"Stop it! Stop laughing dammit!" Despite his pleas they carried on, some laughing harder now. Ichigo clawed at his eyes, trying to wipe the tears away. He rose to his feet and roared so loud it caused absolute silence in the entire room.

Taru glanced over at him and smiled in his evil, sadistic way. "Yuzu Kurosaki, eleven years old. Barely experienced life. Didn't even finish junior school. Now her life is over. Such a shame."

"You monster! I'll fucking kill you! I'll tear your heart out crush it before your very eyes! I'll destroy you! You will regret this!" Ichigo's threats were harmless towards Taru who merely shrugged them off as trivial.

"You're forgetting something Kurosaki. I lack a heart. But I Guess I can give you one anyway."

What Taru did next defied all judgement. Something so utterly vile and insane that Ichigo's body broke down and he collapsed in a heap on the floor. He couldn't speak, to vent his outrage at the despicable act. He could only stare...Stare as Taru presented him a heart, but not his own. Ichigo started shaking uncontrollably. Disbelief clouded his mind as he failed to comprehend the abominable atrocity Taru had just committed.

Taru threw the freshly harvested organ at Ichigo and grinned. "There you go. Crush it before my very eyes. Let us see what damage it does." He laughed mockingly and then glared at his victim, awaiting response.

What happened was not what he expected.

"!"

The Kurosaki house exploded, its walls thrown across the street, crashing through the neighbouring houses and causing widespread destruction. A blazing pillar of blue reishi broke free of the smoke and rose to the heavens.

Taru and his stunned comrades stared at the damage. "What just happened? Who attacked us?"

A fierce shockwave pushed the clouds of smoke up into their, revealing the shattered Kurosaki family. Karin and Isshin barely clung to life, spending their final moments of consciousness in Ichigo's arms. He hugged them tight and then rose to his feet. The aura around him grew wider and then formed a giant bolt of energy which struck the ground with unimaginable force. Another great explosion rocked the area and when the dust cleared a jet black katana was embedded in the ground.

"What? His sword...I thought he lost his powers? How is this possible?" Taru sounded afraid. He waved a hand at tow of his fellow Espada. "Kill him! Kill him before he reaches his sword!"

The two warriors charged towards the boy but in an instant they were both in pieces. Sliced up in the blink of an eye. The dismembered Arrancar landed in a grotesque pile of gore. Ichigo stepped past them and cleaned the blood from his blade.

"You!" He snarled at Taru with utmost contempt. "You will pay!"

Taru clicked his fingers and a garganta opened. "Dammit! Fall back! Now is not the time to waste our energy!" The others rushed through the garganta but Taru stayed behind for a moment. "I do not know how this happened...Frankly I do not care. It just means I have to do this the hard way!" The young Espada drew his sword and assumed a fighting stance.

Ichigo raised his sword and a great thunderous blast of reishi gathered around him. "This...Is for Yuzu!" With a tremendous roar of effort Ichigo unleashed the mighty blast upon Taru. It tore through the earth on its way to the small target but Taru seemed oddly unfazed. His serenity was off- putting.

When the blaze was just about to reach him he swung his sword into the face of the blast. A great eruption of fire and energy burst forth from the site of impact and Taru was forced to leap out of harms way.

Ichigo was panting heavily, having put an immense amount of energy into the blast. When the smoke cleared he discovered his opponent was completely unharmed. Taru's clothes were singed and his skin slightly burned but otherwise he was fine. The great blast that defied all reason, the great desperate attack that never should have happened...It had failed.

Taru wiped his brow and chuckled. "That was incredible. For a moment there you had me worried, but I understand now. Even if you have regained your powers you are still a weakling! Farewell for now, fool! Ha ha ha ha!" Taru entered a garganta and disappeared.

Ichigo dropped to his knees and stared at his hands. The excitement of regaining his powers was lost under the immense pain, not only from his broken body but from the tragedy that had befallen him. His house was no more and those who once lived within it were on the verge of death. Yuzu was dead; her eyes still wide open even in death. Ichigo turned away only to find his father and sister clinging to each other, both trying to stay alive, fighting their own battles.

Ichigo threw his sword into the dirt and buried his head in his hands. No matter how hard he tried, he was still useless. He might as well have just taken his own life and spared his family. His attempts to save them had resulted in horrific circumstances. He had failed.

"Everyone...I'm so sorry...I...I couldn't save you...I...I..." Exhaustion and loss of blood caused the poor boy to pass out.

* * *

Tatsuki overheard the explosion. It rattled her bones and threw her to the floor as the earth trembled under the immense force. She ran from her house, bolting down the street as fast as she could. By the time she reached the crater she was too late.

She found the entire area in ruins. Almost the entire block was reduced to rubble. A massive crater was now where the Kurosaki Clinic had once been and inside the hole in the earth she found Ichigo and his family, all terribly wounded.

She screamed and ran over to them. She checked for a pulse on each of the members but Yuzu did not have one. Tatsuki held the poor girl in her arms, cradling her as if she were her own sister. When she finally laid the girl down her shirt was coated in blood. She ignored it and headed back to the others. She dragged them out of the crater one by one.

By the time she was done a crowd had gathered, including emergency crews. Paramedics stole them from her grasp and carted them away on ambulances. She tried to run after them, to see them one more time but police pushed her aside for questioning. She tried to push past them but they were too strong.

Other rescue crews searched the surrounding rubble for others.

Tatsuki watched them mournfully, ignoring the police's questions. It was only when she was placed in the back of a police car that she noticed they were serious. She stared out the window at the carnage and wondered what had gone wrong...

* * *

Mayuri leaned back in his chair and chuckled maniacally. He had watched the nightmarish events unfold from his lab, ignoring their pleas for help, merely out of curiosity. His interest had been piqued and Ichigo's revived powers were an incredible surprise for him.

"So, the Kurosaki boy has regained his powers? This is quite interesting..."

"Captain Kurotsuchi." A commanding voice called from the doorway. The odd captain spun around on his chair to face another captain, Jushiro Ukitake.

"Welcome Ukitake. I suppose you saw this little epic unfold?" Mayuri grinned.

"Yes. If Ichigo is once again a useful ally then I must contact him. With the other captains refusing to aid my search for Rukia...He is my only hope."

"This is not why you came here Ukitake. Why are you here?" The mysterious creature formed a pyramid with his hands and waited for an answer. "Well?" He pressed.

Ukitake bowed before the other captain. "Mayuri...Please track down Rukia for me. I need to find her! The captain commander may have given up on her but I will never rest until she is by my side once again!"

"How chivalrous of you, captain. You wish to ride out and rescue the damsel in distress and abandon the wishes of your kingdom." The painted oddity grinned wickedly. "And you desire my help in this quest?"

"Yes."

"Why should I?" Mayuri rasped.

Ukitake was taken aback by the surprising retort. "B-But you must help me! Only you could possibly locate her! Please? I'll do anything!"

"Begging is rather pitiful of you Ukitake. You must be desperate to have to grovel to one such as me. Why is it you feel the need to save such an insignificant warrior?"

"You may not think she is important but that does not matter to me. She is more than just a simple shinigami. She is a friend and I cannot abandon her! You can call me a madman but it doesn't matter to me. All I care about is Rukia's safety!"

Mayuri rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Your delusions sicken me. I will aid you on the condition that you immediately get out of my sight and never again bother me with such trivialities." Mayuri tapped away at the keyboard, stabbing the keys with his pale, bony fingers. A long series of mechanical beep ensued and text rolled across the gigantic screen at an unreadable speed.

Ukitake watched on without the faintest clue to what was going on. He waited and waited until finally, Mayuri leaned back in his chair and laughed.

"I have found her."


	18. Blood On Your Hands

_**18...Blood On Your Hands**_

Ichigo stared vacantly at the familiar world of the hospital. The large green cross which hung over the door, the shambling masses of injured people herded in and out of the waiting room. The lines of ambulances by the emergency entrance. The lights were also familiar, the brightly coloured sparks that would splay across all surfaces, throwing the dark and painful world into a masterpiece of colour.

He had only just left...Not even a day, barely even an hour and he was already being sent back in. Once again someone had died alongside him, though this price was far worse. Losing a friend is heart-breaking but to lose family...That crushes your soul, it breaks your existence and destroys you.

Ichigo clenched a fist and cursed the abominable fiend who did this to him. Even with all the rage welling inside of him, even with all the strength he could muster it had been hopeless. The one great attack that he managed to unleash was like a weak gust of wind to Taru.

_Are my powers really back? Am I weaker now? Will I ever be as strong as I used to be? I took down Aizen...So why? Why can't I even scratch Taru? Is he even stronger?_

Ryuken approached the traumatised young boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. For once his cold frown had worn away to reveal something closer to sympathy. "Ichigo, I am truly, truly sorry. I did not mean for this to happen."

Ichigo just stared at him, unsure what to make of his words.

Ryuken sighed and adjusted his glasses. "I was ordered to release you early. I did not know they would go this far...It is all my fault."

"What?" Ichigo groaned.

"I was threatened by an unknown warrior. He warned me that he and his comrades were all after you and that they would destroy this hospital and everyone in it if you were still here when they arrived. I had no choice but to release you. I was hoping your father would be able to protect you or that Soul Society would send aid but it appears my assumptions were wrong. No-one but me knew of these warriors. No-one was prepared." He bowed his head in shame. "It appears the blood of your family is well and truly on my hands."

Ichigo was too exhausted to strangle him, though he severely wished he could. If he had the strength he would have crushed the doctor where he stood, tearing him apart for letting this tragedy unfold.

"You are free to despise me as you wish, but know that I am so very sorry and I will do all that I can to save your family." He turned to leave but glanced over his shoulder. "And also...I give you my support in exacting vengeance."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. He watched the doctor leave and then watched as more doctors flooded past him to check up on the patient. He closed his eyes and pretended to be somewhere else, but even in the realm of dreams his world was plagued with terror and painful memories.

* * *

Tatsuki was dropped off at the hospital. They had interviewed her and found out nothing. She was cleared of suspicion and after her requests they sent her to the hospital to see her friend. The ride was silent, both officers contemplating the incident and what could have caused it and Tatsuki wishing for the Kurosaki family to stay alive.

When the car rumbled up outside the hospital Tatsuki hopped out and didn't even bother thanking the drivers. She just shuffled off towards the great big glass doors out front. Her palms were sweating profusely so she wiped them on the back of her pants. The police had given her a fresh set of clothes since the ones she wore earlier were soaked through with the blood of a small child.

She pressed on through the mobs of waiting patients. Many of them were from her street. In the blast many had been wounded. Some had broken limbs, some were covered in cuts and grazes and others were struggling to remain conscious. The hospital was rather large butt he sudden surge of injuries was too much for them to handle so even emergency cases were left out here.

Tatsuki tried to block out the pained whimpers and mournful sobs of the innocent civilians. She kept her mind focused on seeing Ichigo. He would know what was going on, he always did. These strange occurrences were always revolving around Ichigo as if he were the centre of the universe. It was about time he told her exactly what was happening.

She approached the receptionist's desk and stared blankly at the exhausted woman sitting there. Her eyes were ringed in black and stress wrinkles were cropping up all over. She gazed up at Tatsuki and frowned.

"I'm sorry but we just can't help you right now. We're so busy; we have far too many patients and not enough doctors-"

"I'm here to see someone." Tatsuki spared the poor women her breath.

"Oh, um...Which patient?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

The girl typed away at a computer and pursed her lips. "I'm sorry he's currently being attended to so you won't be able to see him. Maybe come back tomorrow or-"

Tatsuki walked off towards the lift, regardless of what the girl said. She wasn't waiting, she couldn't wait. She had to know now and nothing so trivial would be stopping her. Too many people had been lost to wait around any longer. If Ichigo couldn't fight then she would just have to do it for him!

She poked the upwards pointing arrow and waited for the lift to come down. By the time the doors opened the receptionist was standing beside her, tugging at her sleeve.

"I told you, we aren't allowing visitors tonight!"

Tatsuki glared at her, her eyes burning like bright embers. "I must see him."

"But-" The door opened and Tatsuki stepped inside. The girl tried to follow but Tatsuki blocked the way until the heavy doors began to close. Tatsuki remained staring at the doors as the mechanical box rode up into the higher levels of the building. When she reached the third floor she stepped out only to be confronted by two security guards.

"Excuse me miss, we've been asked to escort you out of the building." The larger of the guards said while cracking his fingers all at once. He towered over her but Tatsuki showed no fear. She would fight through them if she had to. She glared at them, her face set in stone. Her hands clenched into fists and her body went rigid.

The two guards looked to each other and nodded. They each reached out to her but none of the prying hands ever reached. The two guards crumpled into a heap and Tatsuki glanced down at them. Her eyes narrowed at the realisation that they were dead, both somehow mauled in the blink of an eye.

"Wha...What just-"

An ear splitting scream came from up the hall. Curiosity won out over fear and Tatsuki found her self sprinting towards the emergency ward. She had no idea where she was going; she just knew she had to find Ichigo.

The screams came from behind her and she whirled around, panting out of panic. One of the doors behind her was thrown off its hinges until it collided with the wall opposite. A young woman was hurled out into the hall, her front torn open and spilling viscera onto the slick linoleum floor.

Tatsuki raced off screaming as loud as she could. She didn't wait around to see just what had killed the unfortunate woman or the guards. She knew it wasn't something she could handle and she knew there was only one person in this building who could possibly help her.

"Ichigo? Ichigo where are you?"

She couldn't hear a reply over the cries of pain and terror that drifted up from behind her. There were more crashes and bangs and screams. Even windows all over the building were being smashed. There was no way only one creature could be doing this, there had to be a whole group of them, but she had not yet seen even one!

She heard padding footsteps behind her and she ducked around a corner, diving into the first room she passed. She could hear one of the beasts outside the door, sniffing around like a dog. She could actually feel its body heat emanating through the door and she was quite certain it must be able to sense her too.

She locked the door and looked around the darkened room. The lights were off and it seemed deserted. She crawled underneath the hospital bed and kept her eyes on the door which dented inwards under a jarring hit from the monster outside.

The beast hissed aggressively and then there was a loud bang just out the door. The door was bashed once more and this time it fell down with a loud crash. A silhouette stood in the doorway but it was far too human for her liking.

"Please miss. I'd advise that you flee. This hospital is not a safe place to be right now." The voice was familiar. She crawled out and noticed the man in the doorway was Doctor Ryuken Ishida. He adjusted his glasses with a bloodied hand and then summoned a bow out of sizzling energy. He fired off several arrows made of the same bright blue energy and then walked off.

Tatsuki ran out after him and tripped on something. She landed flat on her face in foul-smelling puddle. She rolled over and looked into the now lifeless eyes of a hollow, the monsters which Ichigo and the shinigami fought. She had never seen one up so close before and it was truly terrifying. A monster so unimaginably frightening it made it hard for her to breathe.

She scrambled to her feet and looked around the hall. There were at least a dozen of the dead monsters scattered about, some of them beginning to disintegrate as if made of sand. She ran in the opposite direction of the doctor, instead taking the path of dead hollows rather than taking her chances with live ones.

She found one room without its door opened and pushed it open gently. Ichigo was lying in bed, his eyes wide open and his hands clenching and unclenching anxiously. His gaze settled on her and he made a strange sound that was lost between words and a choked sob.

"Ichigo...What is going on here?"

Ichigo stared squarely at her, his eyes glistening, tears brimming in the corners. He shook his head slowly and spoke with heart-wrenching shame. "I don't know."

* * *

In an unknown location Taru and the few remaining Espada Oscuras gathered in a small round room. Taru sat on a wooden chair, his palm resting against this forehead. He snarled and slammed his other hand down on the table.

"That son of a bitch! He was hiding his powers the whole time! They tricked us!" Taru turned to Yami. "Bring her to me! Now!"

She bowed and headed out of the room returning shortly with Rukia in her grasp. The shinigami girl was restrained by chains around her hands and feet and a blood-soaked rag was shoved in her mouth as a gag. Taru yanked it out and threw it to the floor. For a moment the two just stared down at each other.

Rukia tried to spit in his face but all that came out was a glob of bubbling blood which oozed down her face. She glared at him with all the hatred she could muster but she was too exhausted to try and break free and attack him.

"Your friend, the Kurosaki boy. I thought you said he lost his powers? Everyone said he had lost his powers..." Her expression remained the same. Taru's however shifted to one of even greater outrage. He slapped Rukia with the back of his hand with enough force to knock her to the floor. "Why then are two of my men dead? He chopped them up with a zanpakuto!"

Rukia tried to convey surprise but Taru thrust his boot into her ribs and caused her to wince instead. She rolled over but Taru just kicked her spine. She tried to get up but Taru kept striking her, keeping her down on the floor.

"I don't like liars! Don't ever test my patience again or I will kill you! Got it?"

Rukia coughed violently. She rolled onto her stomach and managed to get her knees tucked under her so she could get into a kneeling position. She took some time and Taru lost patience and yanked her up onto her feet by grabbing a handful of hair and wrenching upwards. Rukia wavered on her feet but remained standing.

"So, why did you deceive me?"

Rukia stared at him. "I was never on you side."

Taru actually laughed. He slapped his knee and let out a boisterous chuckle before having a sudden mood swing and slamming a fist into her gut. Rukia was thrown into the stone wall and she dropped down on her face, once again lying on the floor.

"You shinigami are so arrogant. It is the one reason you always get yourselves killed in the end. It is why we shall defeat you all. Overconfidence dulls the blade and makes you weak!"

Rukia tried to laugh but her shattered ribs made it an awkward squealing sound. "You speak of arrogance...And yet you wish to conquer all of Soul Society with such a feeble army. You are the arrogant one."

She was punished severely for her words. All of the assembled Espada stomped down on her relentlessly, crushing her underfoot and beating the breath out of her lungs until she was a wheezing, bleeding mess.

Taru crossed his arms and scowled. "I am in quite a bad mood now. I will no longer spare the innocent. I was going to keep them alive and rule over them but now I am just going to slaughter each and every human, soul and shinigami! I will salt the earth, poison their rivers and unleash a plague of hollows the likes of which they have never seen! And when they look to you shinigami for aid they will realise the mistake they made. Meanwhile Sereitei will be nothing more than a graveyard for all the corrupted souls who dared defy me! I will extinguish all life!"

"Then are you no better than us? You accuse us of killing innocents..."

"Shut up!" Taru kicked her once more, this time making her pass out. He glared at her limp form for a while before waving a hand to his comrades. "It begins. Send more hollows to the World of The Living. If they can't kill that Kurosaki scum then it will at least keep him out of my sight until I am done with Soul Society."

Shin-en bowed. "Yes Lord Taru."

"The rest of you, prepare for war. The time has finally come for us to strike back. For now we shall wait to see how the Gotei 13 responds to the hollows in the World of The Living." A smile crept up onto Taru's face and he rubbed his hands together in anticipation for the great battle to come.


	19. Hollow

_**19...Hollow**_

The Karakura Hospital was swarming with hollows now. Hundreds of the foul beasts invaded the building, attacking anything that moved, be they man, woman or child, young or old, fit or sick. Few stood a chance. Many succumbed to the monsters, monsters they could not even see. Still they ran, even if it was in vain.

Doctor Ryuken Ishida did his best to protect his patients, using his powers as a Quincy to strike down the vile creatures which disrupted the peace. Blazing blue arrows soared through the halls, cutting down the numerous hollows, but for every one of the creatures slain there were twice as many waiting outside, still trying to get in.

Ishida cursed under his breath as he let out a powerful raging arrow into the front entrance where a congregation of monsters looked up at him with hunger in their inhuman eyes. The blast incinerated them and left the area clear, only for a new group to move forward.

"To attack the sick like this...That man has no shame." He shot down the next row of hollows and fell back to where he had instructed his nurses to take the surviving patients. They had retreated to the burn ward near the back of the hospital. It had been attacked prior but Ryuken had made sure to clear it out before ordering them there.

That ward was safe for now, but the waiting room and emergency ward were the current hot spots for the masked demons. There was no remorse for the innocent victims they devoured. There was only animalistic hunger, nothing more.

"Damn you wretched vermin. I shall punish you for attacking this hospital. Die!" The doctor let off a volley of arrows, a small smile appearing as the hall became cleared of the blood-thirsty creatures. He advanced as far as he could before more of the creatures came to take the place of their fallen brethren.

"Grr, there are too many of them! I can't take them on alone..."

* * *

Tatsuki stared deep into Ichigo's eyes. He was not kidding, he was serious. He really didn't know what was happening. He didn't know why his friends and family were dying or why hollows were invading in massive numbers. This was as much a mystery to him as it was to her.

The pain in his eyes was the pain of one who feels as small as a grain of sand. A person who feels they are useless. Ichigo had lost his powers...This was a time when they needed him most and yet he was just a human now. He probably couldn't even see the hollows.

Another growl came from outside. Tatsuki flinched but Ichigo just looked at her with a blank expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked innocently.

"Didn't you hear that? The monsters outside!"

Ichigo shook his head and frowned. "I guess my powers have gone again."

"Again?" Tatsuki gasped.

"For a moment I had my powers back. I could fight for the briefest of moments but now it has disappeared...I guess they really won't return." Ichigo's expression darkened. "I can't protect you anymore..." His voice had changed. The sorrow in his voice was heart-wrenching. He was crushed. His purpose in life was gone now and his chance was gone. He was nothing now but a broken shell.

"Ichigo..."

"Please go." Ichigo whispered.

"Huh?"

"They are after me, I'm sure. Just leave me. I don't want you dying because of me."

"But..."

"Don't worry about me..." He forced a smile, a weak one, but a smile at the least. "I'll be fine."

She wanted to believe him but she knew there was no chance he could survive. He was unarmed and unaware of the hollows that were hunting him.

Tatsuki clenched her fists and mustered up all the courage she could. "No." She said firmly. "I won't leave you to die! I told you didn't I? I lost Orihime already...I wont lose you too!"

"Please...We're friends aren't we?" That struck a nerve. "You trust me don't you?"

Tatsuki averted her gaze. "Damn you! Don't do this!"

"Do you trust me?" Ichigo pressed.

She fought the trembling in her limbs and tried to force a straight face but it was harder than she thought. "Y-yes."

"Then run. I promise I'll see you again." Ichigo gave his weak, uncertain smile again. "Now go."

A great roar came from up the hall. Then a series of screams. Tatsuki stood still. She couldn't abandon him. Ichigo looked confused. He thought he had convinced her and honestly she believed he had her swayed as well, but her legs wouldn't respond.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo sat up straight.

"I-I can't move!" Tatsuki cried.

A shadow swept in under the door which soon was thrown off its hinges, colliding with the wall above Ichigo's head. It tumbled down and landed on the poor boy. He cried out in pain and alarm but it was drowned out by the earth-shattering roar of the hollow.

It consumed the doorway with its large frame. Spikes jutted out of its arms and horns jutted out of his large skull. The jaws were lined with vicious fangs, dripping with fresh blood. As it roared the mixture of saliva and blood spattered all over the floor.

Tatsuki stared at the creature and found herself hypnotised. It was so terrifying she couldn't even bring herself to scream or run or defend herself, but part of her was sure that none of those things would save her. Her body had resigned itself to a grim death even when her mind screamed no. She could feel her heart hammering away inside her chest, bashing her ribs in its frantic pulsating spasms. She felt the life drain out of her body and she soon collapsed on her knees.

The beast approached her, the smell of its stale breath and rotting meat assaulting her senses. She coughed and gagged and fell on her back, staring up at the creature that now seemed many times taller from her angle. It was like a towering giant to her now, like Godzilla or King Kong, only truly, truly terrifying.

The beast snarled at her and bared its dripping fangs. The fear gripped Tatsuki tighter than ever and she felt the blood run cold in her veins. She couldn't close her eyes. She could only watch on as the gaping jaws loomed closer and closer. Her fate was sealed within the cavernous mouth of the hollow.

"Tatsuki!" Ichigo cried out. He leapt off of the bed and collided with the beast. He knocked the creature aside but the smaller boy bounced off and hit the wall. The hollow growled at the newcomer and sized him up. He judged the boy to be less of a treat and turned back to the girl, the one with the higher spiritual pressure.

Tatsuki tried to scream but a strangled yelp was all that came out. She shifted her gaze from the nightmarish fiend to Ichigo who was already preparing to charge a second time. He only managed a few steps before the beast whipped its tail and knocked him down.

Tatsuki was helpless now. The hollow roared triumphantly and lunged for her. Time slowed down and it seemed as if the monster was frozen in mid-air but in reality it was soaring towards her with incredible speed. The breath escaping her lungs seemed to be dragged out for eternity, yet it was really only a second.

In that one second she was going to die.

That second passed. As did another. And another...

She was alive. But why?

Despite her eyes being wide open it felt as if she were blind. It took a moment to process that Ichigo was standing before her, one hand holding the beast back in an impossible feat of strength. The hollow was huge so how could Ichigo, in his injured state possibly stop a full on charge with just one hand?

"Ichigo..."

"Tatsuki." He replied, his voice taking on a rather chilling tone. There was an underlying rasp as if he was losing his voice. "Run."

Tatsuki was about to argue when he suddenly turned to face her. The whites of his eyes had turned as black as the night sky and glowing golden embers blazed like minute suns. His skin was as pale as flour and veins were popping up all over his body, his muscles clenching and tensing uncontrollably.

"W-What's going on? What's wrong with your-"

"Run!" Ichigo roared. He shoved the hollow back and pounced on it using his bare hands to claw at the tough hide of the beast. It seemed impossible but somehow Ichigo was tearing the monster apart and with apparent ease as well.

Tatsuki was entranced by the strange metamorphosis, transfixed by his demonic eyes and his incredible strength. She knew she should have been running but she couldn't. It was only when Ichigo broke the spell with an insane, animalistic roar that she suddenly bolted for the door.

She stepped out into the hall and checked it was safe and turned left. She made it only a few steps before she was tackled from behind. She kicked out frantically and managed to roll out from beneath her attacker. She sat up and got into a crouch where she sized up her opponent.

Ichigo stared back at her, his eyes screaming out for blood, his mouth turned down into a pained frown. His lips quivered and when he spoke it sounded like his own voice was competing with another, deeper and aggressive one.

"Get out of here." He strained himself to say it. "Before I...I..." He lunged. Bony white fingers snaked their way around her throat and she could feel his hot breath on her face. He was trying to explain himself but his body was acting of its own accord. His free hand drew back and his fingers arced, ready to tear flesh from bone.

Tatsuki tried to struggle but it was useless. He had her pinned down and his strength was unnatural. He was more beast than man but still the small semblance of humanity struggled to survive. His claws raked down but stopped barely a hairs breadth from her face. She stared at them, sweat pouring down her face.

"Ichigo..."

Ichigo snarled, a deep inhuman sound. He drew both hands back up to his face and then he proceeded to scratch at it madly. He screamed in utter agony as he did so and his sharpened nails came away with scraps of pale flesh stuck on their razor edges. Mysteriously there was no blood.

Tatsuki crawled out from under her friend and backed away slowly. A part of her wanted to help the poor boy but another pleaded with her to run for her life. Her problem was eclipsed by Ichigo's battle.

The boy was rolling on the floor now, his chilling cries switching between beast and human. He rolled onto all fours and started panting heavily. He looked up at Tatsuki, one eye still a golden orb floating amidst the abyss, the other returned to its regular chocolate brown. Both eyes betrayed each other, one conveying sorrow, and the other untamed hatred.

"What's going on?" Tatsuki sobbed.

Ichigo cursed under his breath and lowered his head. He spat a mouthful of milky fluid to the floor. The same substance oozed out through his pores and solidified over his flesh to create pieces of a mask. Ichigo tore away at them, desperately removing the bony fragments, only for more to crop up in an instant.

"I told you already...Get out of here as fast as you can! Find my family and get them out as well. Evacuate the hospital before...Before..." His voice deepened, once again descending into the depths of madness. "I kill them!" He howled manically as he lunged again.

Tatsuki turned around and ran but a hollow was charging towards her. She dived out of the way and watched on as Ichigo and the beast grappled with each other.

_Ichigo...That mask...Those eyes...Are you becoming one of them?_

Ichigo hurled the hollow into the wall and punched a hole right through its forehead. He then turned to her and grinned maliciously. "You're next!"

It was an invitation Tatsuki didn't want to accept. She scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could. More hollows descended upon Ichigo, holding him at bay for at least the time being. But that delay would not last long and unless she escaped right now she would be doomed to die by his hand.

For now she had to forget about Ichigo. She had to save as many people as she could and take them far away from this Hell. She had to protect them...Like Ichigo would have...

A series of screams drifted from a room to her left. She kicked the door in and found a room full of nurses trying to get a small child into a wheelchair so they could take her away. The girl was unconscious but worst of all a hollow was already in the room, slaughtering several nurses and moving on towards the child.

"Karin!" Tatsuki vaulted over a trembling nurse and dragged the girl into the chair. The hollow snarled at her but she tried to ignore it and instead pushed the chair out the door. She made it into the hall only to be surrounded by them.

The hollows were still coming. There was no end to them. No matter how many were slain more would come to replace them. Tatsuki glared at them and roared. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

The hollows cocked their heads as if confused. The hunger in their eyes remained unfazed however. They started to advance on her, their collective rasping and snarling becoming an unholy chorus of nightmares.

Tatsuki had no way to escape. The hollows had encircled her. There was no hope. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from flowing out. Her arms dropped by her side and went slack. "Ichigo I'm so sorry..."

A great battle cry caught her attention and when she opened her eyes a wounded man stood before her. He wore tattered scraps of a haori and a black kimono beneath it. Both were torn up quite badly. The shinigami swung his sword in a wide arc and cut down three of the closest hollows. The others became enraged by the unwelcome guest, but his high spiritual pressure drove them even madder.

The shinigami's shoulders were heaving. His breaths came out in ragged wheezes and a trail of blood emanated from him. He was barely in condition to stand and yet he was still fighting.

"Arisawa, let me take care of this." The shinigami panted. He glanced over his shoulder and forced a weak smile. With that, Isshin Kurosaki limped forward into the mass of hollows and fought with everything he had, not just for his own survival but for everyone he held dear.


	20. Crisis

_**20...Crisis**_

The Captain Commander glared at the messenger who interrupted his captain's meeting. The messenger bowed before them all and apologised for his intrusion. He was trembling before the might of the all powerful Commander of the Gotei 13.

"Captain Commander, we have reports that a huge number of hollows have attacked Karakura town. We've lost contact with the officers stationed there! What shall we do?"

The withered old man clasped his hands together and frowned, his wrinkles creasing his face and forcing his eyes closed. He contemplated his words and then stared straight at the messenger. "We shall do nothing."

The captains all seemed shocked. The messenger backed away.

Ukitake's eyes widened at the heartless decision and stepped forward. "Captain Commander! How can you abandon the citizens of Karakura like this? Such an attack must be attended to! We cannot let them take over the entire town. Imagine how many lives will be lost!"

Head captain Yammamoto shook his head. "This is merely a trap to lure us out. Taru is behind this. We cannot let him fool us again. His trickery has cost us dearly before. We will not let it happen again. Karakura's citizens will be left to fend for themselves. We shall remain here and mobilize our forces."

Ukitake scowled. "I cannot do such a thing."

"You will obey my orders Jushiro!" Yammamoto roared.

"Not if it means endangering hundreds of innocent lives! If you want to sit back and watch them die then be my guest but I will not wait here with you. I will go there myself if I have to!"

"You foolish child." The old man muttered in disgust.

"The fool is the one who hides in fear! I am not afraid of Taru or his forces! You are no better than they if you hold your own life above those of the people we must protect!"

"It is not my life but the good of all Soul Society. If we were to fall then the World of The Living would also fall. You cannot see past the sacrifice of these people but I can. Obey my orders or face punishment!"

Ukitake clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The old man was an immovable object, like a boulder amidst a river. No matter how strong the resistance he would not budge. Ukitake knew when he was beaten. He stepped back into line and bowed his head.

"Are we clear on my orders, Ukitake?" The old man asked, rubbing salt into the wound.

He averted his gaze and sighed. "Yes Captain Commander. Understood."

"Very well. Return to your posts." The Captain Commander waved his hands at the group and they moved off.

Ukitake stormed out, unaware that he was being followed. The shadows soon caught up to him and he turned to face them.

Captain Shunsui Kyouraku and Toshiro Hitsugaya stood before him. Kyouraku stepped forward first. "You aren't the only one Ukitake. We all can't just stand by and watch those people die."

Toshiro nodded. "We shall move out shortly. They are after Kurosaki Ichigo, that's for sure. If he has lost his powers then he can no longer hold the fort while we are busy and so we must intervene and save the town from total destruction."

Ukitake opened his mouth to speak but caught himself.

"What is it?" Kyouraku asked.

"Well...I have another motive for going to Karakura..." The others stared inquisitively, their gazes a question in their own right. Ukitake sighed and explained. "Mayuri has tracked down Rukia's location."

"What? Where?"

"Well...It was a building in Karakura town." Ukitake answered.

"Well then we should mobilise a large force and swoop in there! Take down Taru and his minions before they can move on to Soul Society!" Toshiro seemed excited, but the others still held grave expressions.

"They are waiting for us then?" Kyouraku replied.

Ukitake nodded. "They most likely will dispatch troops to Sereitei when they find us trying to invade their stronghold. It is most definitely a trap. But even so...I must get Rukia back. I have to go down there and save her."

"But in doing so you will place us all at risk." Toshiro understood now. No wonder Ukitake was so unsettled earlier. This was a tough decision. No matter what happens Taru would invade Soul Society and many would die...

"I am going regardless. I don't think it would be wise for you to follow me. You must stay on guard." Ukitake opened a senkai gate and addressed the others. "If my actions do bring about Soul Society's doom, please forgive me."

The two captains looked to each other. "Very well. We shall ensure Taru doesn't surprise us like last time. You take care now Ukitake."

The white-haired captain smiled. "Farewell. Oh and one last thing...Please, no matter what...Keep Kiyone safe."

Kyouraku bowed and placed a hand on his heart. "You have my word Ukitake. Now make haste. Karakura needs you."

The two bowed to one another and then parted ways. Toshiro trailed behind the senior captain on the way to their barracks. "Will he be okay y himself? What if it isn't really a trap?"

Kyouraku shook his head. "No, the way this Taru fights...It reminds me of my own. He does not care for honourable fights. He is more concerned with victory. Just like me, he is a trickster. His plans are deadlier than his sword...Or so I hope." He looked off into the sky and sighed. "We must have faith in Ukitake and Ichigo and everyone fighting down there."

Toshiro nodded and joined the older shinigami in watching the clouds drift by.

* * *

Isshin threw himself at the wall of hollows, swinging his sword in wild arcs, catching numerous opponents at once. Hollows dropped like flies at his feet and he seemed to be gaining the upper hand but more just kept flooding in.

"Dammit! I've never seen this many hollows in one place before!"

Tatsuki cowered behind him, hugging Karin like a child would to a teddy bear. "We should run away."

"We cannot run. There is nowhere to run to." Isshin frowned. He slashed at one of the hollows and a large blue blast of searing energy flashed forth from the edge of his blade. It passed through and cut down the entire army in one shot.

"If you wish I can take you to the exit but I will stay here and protect my family. Is that what you want?"

She knew it was selfish but she nodded timidly.

Isshin straightened and began running down the hall. "Hurry! It won't be long before they come back!"

Tatsuki pushed the wheelchair in front of her and made her way down the hall. They made it to the elevator before the hollows started regrouping behind them. The door closed before any of their glistening fangs could reach them.

"That was close." Tatsuki gasped.

"I can sense Ryuken down here somewhere. It would be safer to go with him than to take your chances alone. Take Karin with you and stay alive."

The elevator doors opened with a mechanical screech and several white-masked ghouls lunged at them from outside. Isshin impaled the first on the tip of his sword and ran through the other, cleaving his thick body in two pieces. The third made its way to Tatsuki and swiped at her with a clawed hand. She was knocked flat on the ground and for a moment went still.

Isshin assumed the worst and rushed over. Two more hollows ambushed him but he took them down with relative ease. The one that attacked Tatsuki growled at him but in a fit of rage Isshin hurled his sword like a dart, the blade sinking through its mask and poking out the back of its head.

"Tatsuki!" The former captain cradled the girl whose eyes opened slowly. He sighed with relief. "I thought you were gone."

Tatsuki rose to her feet with some assistance from her friend. She swayed a bit but eventually steadied herself. "I feel dizzy..."

Isshin helped her advance up the hall to a cross junction. He led her down the path leading right and down into a corridor choked with hollows. He unleashed another of the blue blasts, taking down a sizeable portion of their ranks. The rest were shot down by blue arrows from the other end of the hall.

"That must be Ryuken. Hurry and join him. I will meet back with you once I find Ichigo." The old man turned to leave but Tatsuki grabbed his sleeve. The two met each other's gaze and for a moment they just stared at each other.

"Please...Please save Ichigo." Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes and she was trembling. "Save him...from himself." She doubled over and collapsed to the floor.

Isshin frowned. He scooped up the girl and carried her over his shoulder, using his other hand to push the wheelchair. "Incoming wounded!" He roared at the top of his lungs. Nurses and doctors rushed out to help take them away from him and Doctor Ishida waded through them to meet his old time friend.

"I will take care of your daughter. I will keep everyone safe for it is my duty to protect them."

Isshin glanced over his shoulder at an oncoming horde of hollows. "Don't wait for me. Get these people out of here and find somewhere you can defend until these hollows retreat."

"And what about you? You are in no condition to take them on alone, especially not with your wounds."

Isshin gave him a thumbs up. "I'm tougher than you might think."

"You're going back for Ichigo aren't you?" The Doctor asked. Isshin nodded curtly. "Can you feel it? It appears his hollow side has reacted with his surroundings. I'm afraid it may consume him. Be careful. If anything he is the single biggest threat in this hospital right now." The Doctor's eyes flickered in the weak light. "Good luck Kurosaki."

Isshin bowed. "Thanks. Good luck as well."

Ryuken grinned. "Shall I get us started?" He unleashed a great volley of arrows, clearing the aisle and allowing not only Isshin to advance but giving the survivors a chance to flee. While Isshin darted up the stairs Ryuken continued to send off volley after volley of the spirit arrows, ensuring a path was cleared for the congregation of medical staff, patients and civilians.

The group passed the front doors and found the street outside relatively calm. It was if no-one knew anything was happening. Car still drove by. Pedestrians still walked by undisturbed. No-one could see the hollows scaling the walls and climbing through the broken windows. No-one could see the halls lined with corpses and the blood-spattered walls inside. All they saw was a hospital.

Ryuken cursed under his breath and directed the citizens outside. People were rolled out on stretchers and some in wheelchairs. Others were carried by friends and family. Some leaned against companions for support. The vast majority were wounded, even the staff had been involved in a grim fight for their lives leaving most scarred and exhausted.

The weary group filed into ambulances and drove off. The convoy of emergency vehicles rolled off into the night, leaving behind the valiant warrior Isshin Kurosaki, his son who fought not only the hollows around him but the one residing within himself to fend off against the army of masked ghouls.

* * *

Taru looked out the window at the numerous ambulances speeding off from the hospital. He could sense a strong reiatsu in one of them but it was not important to him anymore. He did not care for the Quincy doctor. He was interested in slaying Ichigo and luring Soul Society's troops to defend the town.

"The Gotei 13 is made up of those who do not wish to see innocent lives extinguished. They will come regardless of their orders. When the Gotei 13 is split up it will finally be time to invade." He turned to face Rukia who was sitting on a comfy chair, her hands tied behind her back. "You understand now don't you? It's already over and the battle has not even begun!"

Rukia lowered her gaze and scowled. "You will not win."

"What was that? Taru asked softly. "I didn't hear you."

Rukia cursed under her breath. "It was nothing."

"No, what did you say? I really want to know."

"It was nothing." Rukia persisted.

Taru crossed the room with amazing speed and struck her with the flat of his hand. "What did you say?" He roared. Rukia wiped her bleeding nose on her shoulder and tried to crawl away but Taru stalked her and pinned her down with his foot. "Come one! Spit it out!"

Rukia glared at him. "I said...You will not win!"

Taru chuckled and spread his arms wide. "Are you so sure? I think we have the upper hand here. No matter how many shinigami are allied against me they are powerless when the hopelessly step right into the palm of my hands!" He formed a fist with his right hand and punched the palm of his left creating a sound like rolling thunder. "I will crush them all!"

The door behind them burst open suddenly and Shin'en bowed in the doorway. "Master Taru, we have reports that reinforcements have arrived from Soul Society!"

Taru turned to Rukia and grinned wickedly. "You see? Right into the palm of my hands." He laughed manically and waved a hand at his subordinate. "Very well. Draw them in and prepare the ambush!"

Rain began to pour down from the sky. Taru watched the tiny droplets hit the window in front of his face. "The sky weeps for your loss. How wonderful!"

* * *

Down below, standing in the pouring rain Ukitake gazed at the hospital. It was being over-run by hollows, just as the scouts had foretold. Ichigo was in there. He could sense him, but the reiatsu he felt was wrong. It was like that of a hollow.

"So, his powers have not returned as of yet. He is merely unable to control his hollow side. If that is the case he would be unpredictable on the battlefield and not of any use to me right now. A shame. Now I must save Rukia alone!"

The white haired captain drew his sword and faced a tower across the road. He could sense the familiar presence of the two Espada he faced earlier. They were up in the penthouse several floors up.

"Taru...I will stop you!"

Ukitake entered the accursed stronghold and instantly felt a powerful reiatsu weighing him down. He released Sogyo No Kotowari and held both blades in front of himself in a defensive stance. He scanned the darkness for any signs of life but he found nose. He ran up the stairs to the next floor and found it too was empty. He scaled the skyscraper and it was not until he was on the tenth floor that could feel the Espada behind a thick steel door. He hacked the door down and charged into the room.

Four Espada were gathered in front of a garganta and Rukia was with them. She cried out for help but Shin'en hit her and threw her inside the portal. The others followed suit and the garganta began to close.

Ukitake flash stepped over to the portal but was forced to step back when a sword jabbed out towards his face. Yami laughed mockingly at him and shot a bala towards him. Ukitake blocked it but by the time he had done so the portal was closed.

"Captain Jushiro Ukitake!" An unfamiliar voice called from outside. A boy with black hair was floating outside the window a sword in his hand. It had to be Taru. "I believe this is the first time we've met but I'm afraid I don't have much time."

"You bastard!" Ukitake ran over to the window but Taru was already one step ahead of him. His sword blazed with black energy and he raised his sword up high.

"I guess its goodbye already?" He said with mock disappointment. "See you in Hell shinigami!" He brought his sword down on the building. The great mass of black energy formed a giant wave which spread until it sliced straight through the entire skyscraper. The giant building split into two halves which collapsed in on one another.

Ukitake was trapped between it all, stuck in the halfway point between the ground and top floor. The upper floors rained down upon him and clouds of dust obscure his vision. Meanwhile, Taru sent forth several more identical attacks, this time directing them solely at the trapped captain. Ukitake could not dodge what he could not see and he was immobile amidst the collapsing building. Each blast hit him dead on and the defeated captain plummeted far down to the ground, buried under a great pile of rubble.

Taru disappeared through a garganta, his evil laughter echoing through the night sky adding the final insult to the terribly injured captain.

Not only had Ukitake failed to rescue Rukia, but he had failed to weaken Taru's forces before the attack on Soul Society. With his army at full strength and now missing yet another powerful warrior Soul Society's chances grew dimmer.

All hope was now lost.


	21. War

_**21...War**_

The captains of the Gotei 13 all stood guard in their respective barracks. Kyouraku and Toshiro had spread the word that Ukitake was going to the World of the Living and that a subsequent invasion of Sereitei was imminent. A call to arms ensued the full forces of the Gotei 13 were mobilized. All around Soul Society the weary armies gathered.

Each captain led their own miniature force. Their subordinates were their troops and each captain set up camp in their own quarters. Some ordered scouts to scan the area while others devised sentry units. Some, like the battle-hardened warriors of the eleventh squad merely sat on their haunches baying for blood.

Kyouraku led his troops to guard the fourth squad infirmary, a definite blind spot in their ranks. The Fourth squad were not fighters, they were healers. They lacked the way of the sword that others squads had honed.

Kyouraku was in charge of a different squad now. His former squad members had all been annihilated by the first invasion. This time he was ready and this time he wanted to get back at the one who had slain his dear Nanao.

The thought made him shudder. It fractured his morale and it spread to his troops. When the commander was uneasy, the others usually followed suit. They were but a reflection of their leader and his weak confidence was bringing his whole unit down.

* * *

Meanwhile Captain Soi Fon sent her scouts around and issued messengers to be on stand-by for the moment they were all waiting for. She sharpened her sword and waited, gazing out at the setting sun and the amber hue it cast of the world.

* * *

Ukitake's abandoned squad was now led by Momo Hinamori. She held her position near another vital area. She set up guard outside the great gates which led through to an underground tunnel. It would lead them to a dungeon so far under the soil that even sunlight did not dare tread there. It was in that accursed prison, devoid of light that the darkest soul to ever stain the history of Soul Society dwelled. The imprisoned Aizen Sosuke.

Momo kept close watch on the area. Taru and his henchmen were created by Aizen and so naturally they might strike there and try to free him. Such a disaster had to be avoided no matter what the cost.

Aizen had brought Soul Society to the brink of destruction and none would ever wish to see the day when he roamed free once more. He was doomed to rot in that dungeon, festering in the abyss until the flesh slid off his bones and the ages turned him to nothing but dust in an ancient cell.

Momo still had nightmares of the atrocities he had committed. Many captains found it hard to look her in the eye anymore after what had happened. Her relationships with her superiors had been forever strained and she had become withdrawn from most of those she once called friends. None of that mattered now. All that was of importance was that the gates remained sealed shut.

* * *

Across the other side of Sereitei Mayuri stepped out of his lab. He had repaired it since the last incursion had rendered it useless. He had repaired everything, even the traps he had set up as an emergency vanguard for his precious lab. A wicked grin crossed his face and he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He was eager to see how the next wave coped with his newly designed fortress.

* * *

By the time the sun was barely a golden slit on the horizon the sky was torn open as if a great blade had pierced it. From the depths of darkness four figures stepped out and observed the waiting army. But just as the shinigami had braced themselves for the coming battle, Taru's minions were more than prepared themselves.

More holes appeared in the sky, until it appeared riddled with bullet holes. The tears grew bigger and some converged until they were a great mass in the sky, a giant blackened eyeball which glared down upon them.

From the gigantic garganta a fifth figure stepped out. Taru ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. "I can smell death in the air. The time is right!" He extended a hand and an ocean of tooth and claws spewed forth from the black hole. It was truly a scene of Armageddon. "Go!" Taru roared. "Devour them and bring every building to the ground! Leave nothing left!"

The hollows poured out like an endless stream, a hose on full blast. Their bodies blotted out the sun and cast a veil of shadow over the entire Soul Society. From Sereitei to Rukongai, all eyes were glued to the horrific display above them.

From all over Soul Society, the unanimous war cry could be heard as each and every shinigami raised their sword to the sky and unleashed their verbal fury. The earth trembled under their intimidating roar but Taru seemed unmoved, in fact he was more excited.

"Let us bring chaos to these foolish creatures! Charge!"

The battle had begun.

* * *

Isshin overheard a deafening explosion just outside. He could see the orange haze of fire out the window and he could feel the heat pressing through the glass to force a cold sweat on his brow. Isshin returned his focus to the task at hand and made his way to the emergency ward. The hollows were less persistent now. They were diverting their attention to something else now.

_No matter...I'll just find Ichigo and get the hell out of here._

As he rounded a corner he was struck by a sound of inhuman rage. The bone-chilling howl of anger no man could possibly feel, a desire for death so strong it made the air thick and hard to breathe as if the will of destruction robbed the air of all who came near. The roar was something Isshin had never encountered in his entire life. Never had he heard something so terrifying.

Part of him urged him to run but he knew he could not do that. He had to keep moving forward. Even when he could barely breathe and he felt like he had run ten marathons without rest he continued on.

As he got closer he could feel something. It was similar to a Hollow yet unlike any other he had encountered. Isshin braced himself and entered a large open room lined with the corpses of hundreds of hollows. Their wounds were unclean. They had not died by the sword but rather something more akin to themselves.

In the centre of the room one hollow remained. It crouched over the severed head of another hollow. The beast raised it up to the light and then bit down, its fangs cracking the mask and causing it to shatter. The beast devoured what it could and then picked up a foot and began to consume it.

Isshin's eyes narrowed.

_This hollow...It's eating the others! That means...That means..._

The lone monster hunched over and grabbed the sides of its head. It let loose the same horrible scream it had before and as it let out its anger its body became engulfed in a blazing aura. The reiatsu rose sharply and the beast started rolling around on the ground. The back of its head split apart and orange spikes burst forth and formed crooked horns. There were a dozen of them, all ending in sharp points. The bloody claws grew longer and sharper and its musculature became more profound.

Isshin stared at it for a long moment as dread crept in slowly, swallowing his heart and breaking his spirit. Somehow he could tell that the vicious cannibalistic hollow was once known as Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Ichigo...It appears I arrived too late...I am so sorry."

The hollow turned to face him and its glowing red eyes flickered with interest. It issued a challenge to the stranger through a deep rattling growl.

Isshin held his sword out in front of himself and assumed a fighting stance. His cold stare remained fixed on the abomination that had become of his beloved son. "Ichigo, your hollow side is trying to control you. If you cannot find the power to fight it then let me be your sword. All I ask is that you survive. No matter how hard your inner hollow tries to destroy you, remain strong. Hold out until I free you from this wretched prison!"

Ichigo or what at least used to be him replied with a vicious roar. He charged towards his father, claws bared and fangs dripping with saliva. The two collided with an explosive thud. The ground split underneath them and the two leapt back as the floor gave way. The two then rushed forth for another round.

Isshin fought on as best he could. His wounds and his tiredness tried to overcome him but his resolve to save his son fought back, keeping him standing strong even against his deadly opponent.

_Please Ichigo...Don't let it be your hands that take my life..._

* * *

The captain commander scowled at the horde of masked demons quickly approaching his quarters. He stepped up to the balcony which overlooked his domain and he slowly drew his sword from its scabbard. He closed his eyes and whispered the name of his sword and in an instant it was engulfed in flames.

The hollows still pressed on relentlessly, bounding over buildings in their mindless search for prey.

Genryusai Yammamoto swung his sword in one wide arc and in the blink of an eye the hollows vanished, a dune of ashes where they once crowded the streets. Thick columns of smoke rose from the battlefield, a signal to the others.

The withered old man returned his sword into a cane and he leaned against it for support. He watched with hawk-like eyes, waiting for the next wave of hollows to be incinerated.

* * *

Zaraki's insane rage-fuelled warriors stormed through the ranks of hollows, tearing them apart with ease. With each man who fell the rest fought with renewed vigour. The death of comrades only made them madder and with rage came power. Both forces struggled on but Kenpachi's added might led them to push their enemy back.

* * *

Toshiro Hitsugaya formed a frozen ring which encircled the hollows within. As they cramped together their mobility became highly limited and thus easier for the ground troops to slaughter them.

Meanwhile Toshiro soared through the skies, checking the other embattled squads to make sure none needed aid. The shinigami were faring well. At first it had seemed that Taru's legions of hollows would end them all but those expectations had been shattered. Without the element of surprise Taru's army were weakened and so the advantage lay with the captains and their well organised forces. Victory may well have been at hand.

But then he heard screams. Human screams. Screams of fear and pain. It was not a battle cry and nor was it the inhuman roars of the hollows. It was the terrified cries of innocents.

Toshiro soared down upon a group of Rukon citizens who huddled near the walls of Sereitei. He left his men to defend their territory while he rescued the civilians.

Hollows converged upon them, feeding on the weak souls for sustenance. The young captain hacked through three of them and landed before the remnants of the group. He was too late to save a few of the stragglers but there were still at least two dozen survivors remaining.

"I'll take care of these guys! Find somewhere to hide!" The group barely moved. Some tried to run but hesitated when the rest remained stock still. Captain Hitsugaya glared at them and re-issued his command. "Go!"

They fled and the hollows followed. Toshiro swung his sword and created an arc of solid ice which stretched over the fleeing citizens, creating a shield from the gnashing teeth and claws of the enemy. The mindless hollows beat themselves against the ice to try and break through but it only gave Toshiro more ease in disposing of them.

* * *

Soi Fon studied the blackened, organic clouds. The shambling mass of bodies drifted ever closer. She took a glance back to her waiting army and raised her hand in the air. Every single soldier tensed up, bracing themself for the order to attack. Soi Fon couldn't help but smile at their specially honed obedience. She turned her attention back to the coming forces and watched.

The hollows came closer and closer, oblivious to tithe plan set for their arrival.

"Hmm, so Taru thinks he can conquer us with such brainless animals. It takes more than numbers to win a war. It takes strength and discipline." Soi Fon threw her hand forward and issued her commands.

The army of ninja vanished into thin air, all disappearing in perfect unison. The battlefield suddenly became empty and the hollows rushed into the barren wasteland only to find their prey missing. They jerked their heads about in a feeble search for the missing meat source. It did not take long to find it.

"Now!" Soi Fon roared.

The army reappeared over the top of them landing atop the hollow's exposed heads and slaying them in the blink of an eye. The hollows dropped like flies, their entire flank disintegrating into nothingness as they were brutally and efficiently slaughtered.

Soi Fon laughed madly as the next wave of hollows surged forward from the garganta. She nodded to her men who took up their positions once again.

* * *

Momo sat perched atop the gates, watching the world as it quickly turned to a war zone. Explosions cropped up like ominous flowers in a once plain field. Great plumes of smoke and clouds of dust choked the skies and the great shadows of an unending legion of hollows blotted out the sun.

Her squad waited anxiously, expecting to face an army of hollows which never arrived.

"Odd...The enemy are not attacking us here..." Momo grasped her chin and sighed. "Why are they not striking here? Can they not sense us here?"

A scout flash stepped behind her. He bowed to her and relayed his report. "Assistant captain Hinamori, we have received word from the other squads. All units are receiving attention from enemy forces. All units are reporting good fortune however."

Momo smiled. "Thank you." She bowed her head and gazed out across the burning fields. "May our good fortune last. We may be able to win this war without severe casualties..."

"Assistant captain! Where is the enemy?" One of the ground troops asked. He was trembling with fear, no doubt anxious about the prospect of battle. To many, the calm before the storm is the worst. Numerous others were exhibiting the same unease. The fear of battle was wearing away at them.

Hinamori frowned. "They are not interested in seizing this area. They are more concerned with disposing of the Gotei 13 so their main focus is on the territories of the 13 courts guards...Even so they should be able to sense us here, so why are they ignoring us? Unless..."

Momo's eyes widened. Blood rained down on her and her squad was destroyed in the blink of an eye. Amidst the death and destruction one man remained standing...Taru.


	22. Fatal Mistakes

_**22...Fatal Mistakes**_

Momo Hinamori stared dead ahead at the lone warrior who strolled confidently through a sea of crimson death. Her troops, her friends, lay lifeless at his feet, cut down so fast they could not even hope to defend themselves.

"Im-Impossible!" Momo gasped.

Taru looked around at the corpses and grinned. "What's going on here? There must be something important behind that rusty old gate if there is a whole squad guarding it." He slapped himself in the forehead. "Oh, right sorry. There _was _an entire squad guarding it." He kicked one of the dead shinigami in the back of the head. "They aren't much use now."

Momo gripped the stone arc beneath her, digging her nails in so hard that the pain momentarily distracted her from the living nightmare unfolding before her. Her distress only brought a beaming smile to Taru's face.

"So young lady, what's beyond this gate?"

Momo kept her mouth shut. She closed her eyes and looked away, unable to keep eye contact with this evil young man. Unfortunately in doing so she had forgotten one of the main rules of battle: Never take your eyes off your enemy.

A cold breeze swept over the back of her neck and suddenly Taru was behind her, balancing on top of the gate alongside her. "Shall I go see for myself then?" He asked in a voice so deceptively innocent yet undoubtedly poisonous.

Momo drew her sword and lashed out at his throat. Taru didn't even draw his own blade, he merely caught her arm in mid strike and wrenched it far back until it was on the verge of breaking. She cried out in agony and tried to squirm free but Taru kicked her off the edge of the arc so that she fell. He kept a strong grip on her twisted arm as she bungeed down. Her arm snapped with a shocking 'crack' and Momo screamed.

Taru threw her down to the ground where she landed atop a pile of her dead comrades. She rolled up onto her feet and ran for the gate, crying out in panic.

"Save me! Please help!" She cried as she threw herself into the iron gate. She undid the lock with her one free hand and teeth and collapsed inside. She did not bother to lock it behind her and instead fled inside the tunnel, heading deeper underground.

Taru dropped down gracefully and casually stalked his prey, oblivious to what he may find within. Only aware that whatever dwelled inside was of considerable value to the Gotei 13.

Momo fumbled around blindly. Without even the slightest trace of light she was completely helpless. She staggered down halls which seemed to stretch on for eternity and felt the air grow thinner, colder even.

She tripped on a flight of stairs and caught herself halfway down. She could taste blood in her mouth and her arm was stinging far worse than before. The bones in her arm had been twisted horribly, bending in ways they should not bend. It had even become detached from her shoulder, now hanging limply by her side, swaying listlessly like a ribbon in the breeze. She sobbed pitifully as she crawled down the rest of the stairs and hit a wall.

She dragged herself across the wall until her elbow bumped into something, a handle. She took a glance behind her but realised it was a fruitless endeavour. She could not see anything at all. For all she knew Taru could be waving in front of her face right now, mocking her silently as she struggled through the darkness.

Thoughts of Taru brought fear back stronger than ever. She began hyperventilating and wrestled with the door, using all her strength to open it. The door opened with a deafening creak and she hurried inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

For a while she just leaned against it, trying to get her breath back, but then she took in her surroundings. She was deep inside the Soul Society's dungeon. From what she had learned Aizen was imprisoned somewhere nearby.

_Aizen...He created Taru, he must be able to stop him? He can call them off and end the war! He can save us all! _

She picked up the pace and limped on through more mysterious halls, passing through a labyrinth of twisted corridors. When she was on the verge of collapse she felt something. The slightest flicker of reiatsu, as if it were being smothered.

_Captain Aizen?_

She pushed on towards the weak source of energy and bumped into a mesh of steel. It was a cage. She traced her hand around the bars and then reached inside. "Hello? Is anyone there? I need help."

A muffled response echoed out from within the cell. Momo moved closer and asked him to repeat his words. The response was still muffled. Momo wiped tears from her eyes. Her arm was burning now. It felt as if her blood had become acid and every muscle in her body was perforated with needles. She wanted desperately to get some rest but the thunderous clang of a door opening in the distance put her off.

Taru was close behind. He would find her and he would kill her unless she did something soon. She could no longer fight; there was only one man who could possibly save her now...There was only one option left.

Momo closed her eyes and began to chant.

* * *

Isshin grunted as he was thrown into the wall. The dried paint cracked and splintered beneath the bulk of his broken body. He landed in a heap on the floor, dazed and confused. The jarring blow had made him dizzy and for a moment he forgot where he was.

When he regained his bearings he sized up the situation. Ichigo's hollow side had so far consumed him that little semblance of humanity remained. The only solution was through battle and so Isshin took up his sword against what had become of his son.

The beast howled at him, warm spittle flicking out from its cavernous jaws. Ichigo bared the wicked talons on his pale, bony hands and rushed forward. The two headed straight towards each other and collided with a resounding boom which shattered the windows and made the walls crack even further. Their duelling reiatsu alone was damaging the building and soon enough the two would be buried under the rubble.

Isshin roared as he brought his sword down on the pale beast. Ichigo raised his bare forearm and blocked the sword, seemingly unaffected even when the sharp steel bit down into the crusted white flesh that now covered his distorted body. Isshin pried the sword out and rolled to the side, swinging at his back.

Ichigo spun around and slammed a fist into Isshin's skull sending him hurtling across the room. Ichigo snarled and lunged at the stunned opponent. In that fraction of a second Isshin managed to duck and thrust his sword into the air. Ichigo landed on top of the blade and let out a howl of agony as the blade churned through his innards.

"Dammit! I missed it!" Isshin cursed, yanking the blade out and watching as sickening white ooze coalesced over the horrid wound, healing it. "I guess I'll have to try again." With a grunt of effort he unleashed several quick thrusts, all of which Ichigo dodged with unimaginable speed.

Isshin's eyes widened. Ichigo was becoming faster and smarter. At first animalistic rage was blinding him to danger but now he was making a conscious effort to protect himself from harm. Isshin cursed and used Shunpo to catch the monstrous child by surprise.

Ichigo caught him in his large hands and constricted him. He stared deep into his father's eyes but felt nothing, not a sense of remorse or regret. Nothing. All he knew was that this man had to be destroyed. It was all his brain commanded: Destroy, destroy, destroy!

"Shot of red fire!" Isshin gasped, pressing his palms against Ichigo's wrists. Bright red fireballs exploded against the organic restraints and Ichigo leapt back in shock. Isshin however followed on, not daring to give himself a chance to rest. He had to end this quickly before Ichigo evolved further. He had to force the inner hollow to back down and relinquish control of Ichigo's body...But to do that...there was only one way.

Ichigo vanished from sight and reappeared behind his old man. Before he could take notice, Isshin was slammed into the wall and thrown into the next room. Ichigo followed and threw him through the next wall. And the next.

Isshin was covered in blood and bruises, his bones aching, many broken. He slumped against the wall and stared at his son. He was powerless to stop him. His injuries had been a hindrance from the start and as such he was no-where even close to matching his son's mysteriously rising power.

The saddened father lurched forward and spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. He then raised his head to meet his son's blazing, inhuman glare. "Ichigo..." He rasped. "I'm so sorry..."

The beast took a step forward and hissed, preparing to deal the finishing blow.

"I'm sorry I never helped you...As much as I should have..." He took another laboured breath. Air drew into his lungs and waves of pain shot through him, paralysing him and forcing the old man to double over and wince. When the pain subsided enough he resumed his final words. "I could have shown you...How to protect everyone...I could have...Saved you...But, I failed..."

Ichigo was standing over him now, his bulky shoulders heaving with each heavy rasping breath. His glowing red eyes were suddenly flickering with excitement. Drool ran down his bony chin, seeping between his blood-flecked fangs. He drew nearer to his prey and paused. The beast hesitated, his jaws hovering barely inches from the wounded man. Some small part of his humanity held the beast back but there was little time to be amazed.

Isshin stared right into the monster's eyes and sighed. "Ichigo, I'm so sorry...But I have to do this..." He gripped his sword with trembling hands and drove it deep inside Ichigo's chest. He felt the blade burrow through something soft and Isshin knew he had found his target. He had stabbed the ghoul right in the heart.

Ichigo's jaws went slack and hung open in shock.

"I finally got you...In the heart...Now...Let me take care of this..." Isshin focused his spiritual energy into his sword and allowed it to pass through into Ichigo. With each passing second he was losing his strength. He needed it to survive but the notion of survival in a world without his children was something he could not stand to endure. Instead, he would die with honour and aid his son in creating a new world.

Isshin leaned back and smiled weakly. "Forgive me Ichigo..."

The hollow rocked back on his heels and let loose another terrifying roar. Blue and black reishi swarmed around him, intertwining and dancing around each other, both trying to take control. Isshin continued to fuel his own shinigami powers into his son, slowly overpowering the inner hollow which resided within his son.

When the blue aura eclipsed the darkness an explosion of bright light consumed the ruins of the hospital and when at last the light faded Ichigo was his regular self again. The boy gazed down at his father and dropped to his knees.

"Dad? Dad? Can you hear me? Say something! Dad!"

He cradled his father as he cried out for a response but he was met with grim silence. Rather than give up Ichigo hugged his father close and whispered in his ear, regardless of whether his words would reach his father.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't protect you..."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed when a bloodied hand closed over his. He stared into his father's eyes in silent awe.

"Ichigo," He wheezed. "I never needed your protection." He tried to laugh but a painful cough came out instead.

Ichigo frowned. "Don't worry! I'll get help!"

"No." Isshin whispered harshly. "Leave me be. There are others...Who need you more..." He could no longer keep his eyes open and his head rolled back as if his spine turned to jelly. His face seemed to spasm but soon relaxed into a contented smile. "Give...Give them Hell...Son..."

Ichigo leaned back and stared up at the sky. A cloud of hollows was sweeping towards the hospital, the ominous, thunderous roar of the combined forces was deafening even from a distance. Ichigo glared at them and then at his sword. He could see his pained reflexion in the pure black steel. Rage boiled over within him and Ichigo roared as loud as his lungs would allow. His reiatsu sky-rocketed and the entire hospital fell apart under the immense stress.

The hollows charged on and Ichigo stared them down, his eyes like minute suns. He unleashed a might battle cry and raised his sword.

"Getsuga Tensho!" He cried, unleashing a devastating blast of energy into the hollows, decimating their entire force in one fell swoop. Dead hollows disintegrated into nothingness and the garganta from which they came crumbled and closed in on itself, preventing any more hollows from surging into Karakura town.

Ichigo stared up at the night sky and scowled.

"Ichigo."

The voice had come from another collapsed building across the road. A badly wounded captain Ukitake staggered out from under a pile of splintered timber frames. He held a broken sword in one hand and used the other to cover the point where a steel pipe had run through his shoulder.

Ichigo looked at him without a word.

"Ichigo...In Soul Society, you will find Taru...Please hurry..." He fell down on one knee and stabbed at the air before him. He then twisted the broken blade as if it were a key in a lock. A senkai gate opened up and Ukitake dropped his sword and sat down against a large chunk of concrete.

Ichigo nodded in thanks and set off inside the senkaimon, only to be called back by the wounded captain. He glanced over his shoulder at him and waited.

Ukitake coughed violently and extended a hand. "Please...Find Rukia...Stop Taru...And...Protect those that I could not..."

Ichigo's expression softened. "Sure."

Ukitake nodded. "Thank you..." He leaned back and looked up at the stars.

Meanwhile, Ichigo charged through the gate and rushed towards Soul Society to save his world and the next from impending doom.

* * *

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	23. The Apocalypse

_**23...The Apocalypse**_

Battles raged all over Soul Society. Shinigami fought vigorously against the skull-masked demons which poured down from the heavens. Even civilians in Rukongai took up whatever they could to protect themselves and their friends. The courageous captain of the Gotei 13 did their best to coordinate their soldiers and defeat the menace with minimal casualties.

Fires burned throughout the land and great plumes of smoke rose like formless pillars into the sky. The clouds darkened and crimson rivers ran through the streets swamped with corpses.

Although the shinigami were keeping a steady defence against the hollows, little did they know that the worst was yet to come. For deep underground, in Soul Society's darkest dungeons a terrified young warrior chanted hastily, her words spilling out alongside her heavy panted breaths. Fear had made her oblivious to the consequences of what she planned. All she cared about was saving her own life.

Momo finished her chant and looked up; her hands remained locked into position, her knees still bent like a child in prayer. She tried to see through the darkness but it was hopeless. She couldn't even discern Aizen's silhouette from the blackened emptiness around him.

"Momo, is that you?" He asked.

Momo's heart seemed to melt at the sound of his voice, the soothing baritone she had grown to love back when Aizen had been her superior. Instantly she felt safer and the looming threat of Taru closing in on her diminished.

"Yes, Captain Aizen...It's me."

Aizen went silent for a while. "You sound frightened?"

Momo nodded but soon realised that was pointless. It was too dark for anyone to see. She took a deep breath and answered. "I am being pursued." She closed her eyes. "He is not far behind me. He will kill me if he finds me...That is why I am here."

"You seek to hide in the darkness? But he can still sense you."

"No, Aizen, I want you to put an end to this. Please? You created the Espada! You can tell them to stop fighting, to pull back! You have to!"

"Espada? There are none left." Aizen muttered.

"The Espada Oscuras!" Momo cried knowing full well that raising her voice would alert Taru to her whereabouts. "They want to kill us all! You have to save me! Please? The captain Aizen I knew would never allow a friend to be harmed!"

Aizen chuckled to himself. "You are right."

"Huh?" Momo could feel Aizen standing above her now. He laid a hand on her shoulder and she suddenly felt warm inside, as if a long forgotten fire had been sparked back into life. She knew it. After all he had done, Aizen was still a kind man at heart. "Aizen..." She wrapped her one good arm around him and sobbed into his chest.

Aizen's body suddenly tensed up. Momo felt a strange feeling in her chest. Her heart was burning. It hurt, but was also something incredibly good to her.

_This pain in my chest...Just like when I worked for Aizen...It's the same..._

Momo wanted to thank her former captain for helping but he spoke first, interrupting her.

"But when did I ever say _you_ were my friend?" Aizen's voice was like a knife, cutting through her.

Momo failed to comprehend his words and refused to let go. Aizen pushed himself away and suddenly Momo was falling. The pain in her chest was suddenly agonizing and she tried to speak but the effort pained her. She reached up to her heart and felt an empty hole instead. She could feel blood pumping out profusely, so fast she could not contain it.

"Thank you Hinamori. As a token of my appreciation I will ensure you never witness the fate you have brought upon Soul Society." Aizen whispered something to himself and his right hand became engulfed in red flames. It cast a dull glow over the surrounding area and Momo could see the monster Aizen truly was.

No longer did he have the kind eyes she had many a time gazed into. Now they were blackened pits of hatred, more hollow than human. His flesh was pale and his venomous smile brought chills to her body.

"Goodbye Hinamori." Aizen walked off, leaving Momo in the darkness. She tried to scream but the thick torrents of blood which choked her lungs made it impossible. She opened her mouth and nothing but her own life drained out.

_Aizen...Why? I...I...Loved you..._

Hinamori died alone.

* * *

All over Soul Society, the battles came to a halt. Everyone could sense the familiar presence of one they had never anticipated to meet again. Many trembled at the haunting memories that came with this presence. Many fled. Everyone however, was stunned.

"What? This cannot be!"

"No! He can't have...Did he really..."

"Impossible! He can't have escaped!"

Toshiro Hitsugaya dropped his guard and stared at the sky. He knew that reiatsu all too well. His hands began to tremble and his sword shook in his grip. He cursed under his breath and roared to the heavens with all he had.

"AIZEN!" The young dragon abandoned the helpless civilians and chased the traitorous killer. He threw aside his sense of honour and his duty, merely for the sake of vengeance.

* * *

Aizen however was not waiting around to be caught. He had bigger things in his sights. He did not know why Momo released him. He did not know why his Espada Oscuras were invading Soul Society. All he knew was that it was the perfect distraction. Finally he would achieve his plans, the dream he had been plotting for hundreds of years. Finally he would seize the day and rise to the heavens!

Kyoka Suigetsu was nowhere to be found. His sword had been confiscated when he was imprisoned and sealed away separately. That did not matter. Aizen picked up the discarded sword from a fallen warrior and held it before his face for a moment, gaining the feel of it before placing it by his side. He clicked his fingers and smiled as a Garganta opened before his very eyes.

"Wait!" The voice came from close behind.

Aizen spun on his heels and faced Taru, his former subordinate.

Taru drew his sword and gritted his teeth. "You fool! Do not interfere! This is our battle!"

Aizen chuckled. "Of course Taru. I am glad you have finally taken the initiative to fight for yourself. It shall provide the perfect means for us to both prosper."

Taru frowned. "What?"

The manipulative traitor rolled his eyes. "I am not interested in the Gotei 13 anymore. You can claim them as you wish. I am after something else entirely." Aizen moved to the garganta but Taru called him back again.

"No so fast! I have unfinished business with you! You murdered a comrade! I will make you suffer-"

Aizen raised a hand and sighed. "We shall have an eternity to settle our score once this is over. For now Soul Society is a threat to us all. Let us bring it to its knees and then decide who shall rule the vacant heavens."

Taru's expression darkened. "You are still after the Oken? Have you not learned? You lack the strength to do such a thing all alone. You are no longer capable of doing this."

Aizen laughed. "I am not alone..." He pressed a hand against his heart, a spot now taken over by a glowing little orb. "The Hogyoku is all the company I need from now on." With that, he vanished inside the garganta.

Taru stared into empty space for a while before shaking his head and returning to the battlefield. "Very well Aizen, you can reach for the heavens and never make it while I shall take the moon and crush it! And when the light is gone we shall finally decide who will become the god of the new world!"

Taru returned to the dungeon and extended his hand towards the entrance. A garganta opened there and two Adjuchas carried Rukia out into Soul Society. They threw her to the ground and retreated back inside the portal which soon closed after them.

"Welcome home Kuchiki. Are you ready to die alongside you wretched brethren?"

Rukia glared at him but said nothing, deciding it was better to refrain from angry outbursts. A lesson she had learnt through experience. Taru was quick to anger and even quicker to strike. In her state she couldn't take another one of Taru's merciless beatings and stayed as quiet as she could, even making a conscious effort to quieten her laboured breathing.

"Do you know why I am here?" Taru asked arrogantly. Once again Rukia answered with silence. "You are nothing more than a pawn in my little game here. You see, Aizen has been set free."

Rukia's eyes widened. "What?"

"I was going to do it myself but that foolish girl did all the hard work for me. I knew Aizen would try once again to achieve his moronic ambitions. And I anticipated the arrival of your very close friend." Taru's smile dripped with menace. "When that friend arrives the true fun begins!"

That 'friend' could only be one person. Rukia scowled. "If Ichigo has his powers back then he will defeat you! If you use me as a hostage it will only make him stronger!" She cried, knowing full well the consequence for her words.

Taru did not hit her though, surprisingly. Instead he folded his arms and nodded. "You really believe in him don't you? Your faith would be inspiring if it were not wasted on such a weakling." He rolled his eyes and began to pace. "Aizen is already on his way to the World of the Living. Do you know what that means?"

All colour drained from Rukia's flesh. "The Oken..."

Taru grinned. "Exactly. Ichigo will charge in here like the pretend hero he is and he won't leave until he has you safely in his arms. That means Karakura is defenceless. Since it is their duty to protect it, the Gotei 13 will be divided once again making it so much easier to destroy them. I have foreseen this all and I have prepared myself for it."

Rukia glared at him. "You are just like Aizen...You manipulate everyone around you to hide your true weakness. Were you to fight with honour you would be dead already."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Now if you don't mind I have a need for you."

"What do you want?" Rukia asked fearfully.

Taru grinned wickedly. "I want you to send Ichigo a little message."

"W-What?"

"I said I want you to send Ichigo a message!" Taru swung his sword towards Rukia but stopped just short of hitting her. The threat was enough to scare her into obedience. She glanced up at him inquisitively and waited for her orders. "Summon a hell butterfly. Send an SOS to you beloved Ichigo."

Rukia averted her gaze. "But then he will abandon Karakura entirely..."

Taru's sword inched closer to her bare throat. "Do it now. If your words are correct then this will only make him stronger. Do you doubt your faith in the boy? Have you given up on him?"

Taru only smiled when Rukia's face ticked in response to his taunts. She cursed herself as she summoned a small butterfly and whispered to it. When she was done she sent it away and it disappeared in a small ripple in the air, like a stone thrown onto a pond. She glanced up at Taru with a frown. "Why are you doing this?"

"Victory is not won through superior numbers. You shall learn this lesson very soon when I alone destroy everything you hold dear. Strategy is the key. You see, I have quite a few tricks still up my sleeve." His voice dripped with arrogance. Rukia desperately wanted to strike him down but she knew even the slightest hint of an attack would spell death for her.

She just had to wait for her knight in shining armour to come save her.

* * *

Ichigo dashed across the decaying path of the Dangai. The rotting, melting walls hissed at him and the ground beneath him cracked under his reiatsu. He had never felt stronger. He had become even greater than before and yet there was still a spike of doubt piercing the back of his mind.

His brief encounter with Taru had highlighted just how strong his opponent was and yet he had not even attacked. Ichigo knew barely anything about the menacing warrior. He didn't know what his powers were. He didn't know how he fought or even what his ressureccion looked like. He was totally in the dark.

All that however was swept away the moment he discovered the little black butterfly fluttering towards him. It hovered before him and suddenly Ichigo could hear Rukia speaking in his head.

_Ichigo...Please help me. Taru has me held hostage near Sokyoku hill. I can't fight him...So please...Please hurry!_

Ichigo's expression fell. "Rukia..."

For a moment he just stood there, his gaze focused straight ahead staring at the exit a few hundred metres away. He stood stock still for a moment, not even a breath in his lungs nor blood flowing in his veins. For a brief instant his entire body shut down. And then...

"RUKIA!" The ground was split apart as Ichigo raced off, his reiatsu rising so high it made the entire path quake. Ichigo's rage burned deep within him, giving him the strength he needed, the resolve to kill Taru, to save Soul Society and to save the White Moon from the endless night.


	24. The End Begins

_**24...The End Begins**_

Aizen stepped out into the fresh air. He studied the familiar buildings of Karakura Town. It was the same as when he had tried to destroy it. It brought bitter memories to his mind of the defeat he suffered there, but now he felt confident.

A quick scan of the area revealed many missing reiatsu. Urahara Kisuke, Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo Kurosaki...All three were gone. The three greatest threats, the only ones to be able to best him were gone now.

Victory was at hand now. None would be able to stop him now.

A grim smile spread across his thin, serpentine lips. His eyes flickered with malice and Aizen let out a dry chuckle. "This world...Is mine."

The evil mastermind clasped his hands together and began chanting an incantation for the apocalypse.

* * *

Ukitake sensed Aizen nearby. At first he though his dying soul was playing tricks on him but he soon realised it was no illusion. Aizen was in Karakura town and that could only mean one thing. Ukitake's eyes narrowed and he forced himself to his feet.

With urgent haste he traced patterns on his forearms which soon glowed with bright blue light. When he was done marking himself he thrust his hands forward, ignoring the pain he whispered the incantation for a spell.

"Black and white net. Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts. Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line. Form a circle and fly through the heavens."

The injured man heaved forward and spat out a mouthful of blood. His illness was trying to bring him down alongside his injuries but he refused to be defeated just yet. He wiped his face on his sleeve and roared. "Bakudo 77, Tenteikura!"

A spider's web of blue light fanned out from his hands and the weary captain dropped down on one knee. He stared up at the sky and began to speak.

"To anyone who can hear this, please evacuate Karakura Town. Run as fast as you can and take as many people as you can. Sosuke Aizen has returned and I fear the end is coming. Abandon your homes and fall back. Escape with your lives intact. The time for fighting has passed. It is too late. Retreat and let us regroup for a counter-attack. I repeat evacuate Karakura and save as many innocents as you can. Please heed my warning. Make haste and good luck."

Ukitake watched the web dissipate and when it was gone he dropped onto his back, staring up at the sky. "I guess...It is my fate to die here, protecting the innocent and the weak..." His eyes began to flutter closed when a slender silhouette appeared before him.

"Such foolishness. Your time is not yet at hand. Not until Aizen is defeated!" The voice was familiar, but distant, lost in a sea of memories so deep he couldn't place a name to it. He closed his eyes and relaxed as the stranger picked him up and carried him away.

* * *

Mayuri hunched over the large keyboard to squint at the rolling text on the screen before him. He could not believe what he was reading, it was impossible. Aizen had been unsealed. The spell was one only shinigami could perform...That meant one of their own had unleashed the vile traitor upon them.

That aside, Aizen had passed over to the World of the Living, no doubt using the distraction of his former Espada to allow him to slip by and create the Oken. Once he creates the royal key Aizen would be able to enter the King of Soul Society's lair and possibly slay the great pillar which upheld the world of the afterlife.

Mayuri frowned. "You devil. I won't let you destroy this world, not when there is so much left to study." The oddity craned his neck to see his 'daughter' standing in the corner, as silent as the walls she sank into. "Nemu, send out a messenger. Inform the Captain Commander and ensure Aizen does not succeed! I will not let him ruin such a perfect opportunity!"

"Yes Captain." Nemu bowed and disappeared in a graceful Shunpo.

Mayuri's eyes rolled back to the screen. "So many corpses...So much information. I will not let it sift through my hands..."

* * *

The Captain Commander frowned at the grim message relayed to him by one of the scouts. His wrinkled face scrunched up, folding in on itself in an obscene display of rage. "Aizen! Such a dangerous individual must be stopped! He has been sealed away for quite some time. The Hogyoku would have weakened in that time. If caught now we may be able to do away with the traitor once and for all."

The old man shook his head. "To save both worlds we must let this one fall...Very well, send out a call to arms. As of now, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Sajin Kommamura and Zaraki Kenpachi are to head for Aizen's location. They are to leave immediately."

The scout nodded and rushed off to send the command to the three captains. Meanwhile, the withered old man sat upon his oak throne and observed the clouds which darkened overhead. Taru's legions were weak, but the Captain Commander couldn't help but wonder whether the Espada had another trick up their sleeve...

* * *

Kyouraku pushed back another wave of mindless hollows. All the while he was watched by one of Taru's henchmen. Kyouraku recognised him instantly. It was the one who had slain Nanao, the one who murdered his entire squad. Rage had been welling up within him, but the wise captain knew he could not yet unleash it upon his foe. His duty was to protect the infirmary and sure enough he would not let it fall...Neither would he let his nemesis escape.

"Vile Espada...Know that when your minions run dry I will have your head, until then I will wait...Wait for the right moment."

* * *

Aizen stopped chanting for a moment to check his surroundings. He could feel them coming. The Gotei 13 was already scuttling towards the light like the pitiful ants they were. Nothing would stop him now. Not even the combined might of the entire 13 Court guard squads could match him now. Heaven was within his reach.

A venomous chuckle escaped his lips and he extended a hand over the city. From up here in the sky it looked as if the entire city were in the palm of his hand, ready to be crushed.

"Soon...Soon it will all be mine." He bowed his head and begun the second incantation. He showed no signs of rushing however. He was perfectly calm. And why wouldn't he be? He had already succeeded...

* * *

Taru stood over Rukia, his shadow enveloping her, sending chills throughout her body. She knew all too well what was going to happen. Ichigo was going to charge in and try to save her. Taru would take advantage of this and slay him, leaving Karakura town to be erased by Aizen. The Oken would be formed and all life would end...And yet she had done nothing to stop it, in fact she had helped it go along smoothly.

Rather than beg for death and die with honour she gave in to fear and did as Taru desired. Now Ichigo would be too angry to listen to the voice of reason. He would not back down, even if he was aware of Karakura's impending doom.

Rukia bowed her head and stared at her hands. When the end came, she could only wish her death would atone for her failures...

"You feel bad for giving in don't you? I can tell. Your eyes speak the truth even when your tongue won't. I don't blame you. If I were you guilt would have driven me insane. How can you live with yourself when you are condemning everyone around you to death?"

Rukia winced. His words were like knives, piercing her flesh and embedding themselves in her heart. "You...You're trying to break me down aren't you? You want me to abandon hope so that I won't interfere. In fact you probably want me to take my own life to spare you the hassle!"

Taru smiled. "Of course. Enemies are not just vanquished by the sword, but by the mind. That is why a weak fool like Aizen has come so far. His illusions and taunts break down your will so that he can cut down your feeble-minded warriors."

Rukia bowed her head. She needed to stay strong but his words were really starting to gnaw away at her, stripping away her defences and leaving her helpless in a world of despair. No matter how hard she tried to resist doubt was consuming her and her faith in Ichigo was beginning to dissipate, crumbling up and vanishing in the wind like a vanquished hollow.

_No! I cannot give up! Ichigo can still save us! We are not beaten yet..._

She needed to take her mind off of her own insecurities. She decided to pick away at those of her opponent instead. A weak smile crossed her lips and she glanced up with fresh curiosity glowing within her eyes. "So, if Aizen is so worthless...Why do you still obey him?"

Taru's face twitched. "I did not obey him. I merely let him chase his foolish dreams. He won't get far. I have already sensed the departure of several captains. They will catch him and defeat him before he can perform the incantation for the Oken. He will die while I conquer Soul Society. Even if those captains return they will be too demoralized to stand a chance and I will cut them down with ease!"

_Dammit! He's still so confident. I need to shatter his bravado while I still can...But how? If Aizen doesn't anger him then what does?_

Rukia suddenly got an idea. It could well result in a horrible, agonizing death but she had to take it. Once again she looked up at him, this time with an arrogant smirk. She hoped it was believable, but honestly it was truly forced.

Taru frowned. "What are you so happy about? Do you enjoy watching your friends perish?"

Rukia let out a dry chuckle. Fear assaulted her and it came out as a rough cough but the effect was still the same. "No...I was just thinking."

Taru glared at her but said nothing; his gaze asked the question instead.

"I was thinking about the time...I killed one of your 'brothers'!"

Taru's flesh went pale. His face scrunched up into a hideous scowl but still he remained silent, trying to compose himself. Rukia knew she had him cornered now.

"How weak he was...I still remember driving my blade right between his eyes, through his skull. He screamed in pain and suffered in agony for a while before I finished him off."

Taru was trembling. Every vein in his arms was popping up as if poised to explode. His head lowered and for a moment it seemed he was on the verge of tears, but then his notorious mood swing kicked in.

"How dare you!" He roared. Rukia reeled from a hard boot to the side of the head. "You pitiful little bitch! How dare you say such things about my brothers! You could not even scratch me and yet you have the hide to insult the men I have fought beside my entire life? They were all destined for greatness, unlike you! Your entire life you have been nothing but a pawn! Even your friends used you for their own gain!" Rukia flinched. She did not know which hurt more, his spiteful words or the vicious beating she endured. Taru screamed hysterically while he attacked her. "You are nothing! Unlike my brothers you have no-one who cares for you! You are alone and you always will!"

"You're wrong!" Rukia cried. "Ichigo will-"

"That pathetic fool has already warranted his own death! As soon as he arrives damnation will be upon him!"

"No! Ichigo wouldn't lose to you!" Rukia yelled between thunderous blows to the ribs. She felt empty inside, as if her organs had been liquefied, all beaten and congealed into a bloody pulp. She tried to say more but nothing passed from her lips other than crimson spittle. She rolled onto her side and tried to look up at the sky. It was becoming blurry, like a smudge on a camera lens. Patches of darkness reached out to consume the light and Rukia suddenly felt incredibly tired.

_Ichigo...I'm sorry. I couldn't hold out...I never got to tell you...I...I..._

Taru grabbed her by the hair and lifter her face up to his own. An unnatural heat seemed to radiate from him, as if his rage literally burned within him.

"Where is your knight in shining armour now? If he loved you he would have spared you the pain. He would have arrived to save you. So where is the darling Prince then?" He twisted her neck until it was about to break, showing her the empty battlefield around them. He then spun her head around to face him. "He isn't coming to save you; he is merely coming to kill me! He does not care for you at all! He had been happy ever since he lost his abilities. He smiled, he laughed and yet...Now he must suffer once more. Now he has lost everything he ever held dear...His family, friends, his home, his own town...All of it is gone."

Taru spat in her face and scowled. "And it's all because of you! He hates you! He wishes he had never met you! You ruined his entire life! When he finds your corpse rotting in the dirt do you know what he will do?"

Rukia wished to wipe the tears from her eyes but her arms had gone limp. She could do nothing but stare at Taru's blurred form.

"He will smile!" Taru slammed Rukia's head into the dirt and stepped away. He still kept his gaze on her however. "Your death will set him free."

Rukia barely managed to curl up in a ball. Each racking sob brought fresh waves of pain through her lungs. Her tears stung her face and at last Taru had defeated her. He had broken down the walls she had built up to protect herself. The one thing keeping her going was her faith in Ichigo, the belief he could save them. Now...Now she had nothing.

"Lay there and die! You aren't worth the effort of finishing you off."

Rukia let out one last wail, a tortured cry of unbearable sorrow...And with it, resigned herself to accept death. With nothing left to fight for, there was no reason to fight and so she cried, hoping it would draw the last breaths from her lungs and end the pain...

A blinding light enveloped her. Rukia tried to squint through it but she could not see anything past the heavenly light.

_Is this...Death? Is it finally over?_

Rukia lay back and waited for her life to be claimed. She closed her eyes and began to drift off. The pain stopped. The sorrow passed. She suddenly felt warm inside. If this was death, then it felt glorious...Truly wonderful. She had never felt this good since...

The sky suddenly erupted. The clouds were incinerated and the world went red, as if the sky itself bled. A roaring black sun loomed over them, its cracked rays stretching out across the sky like unearthly roots.

Rukia gazed up into the centre of the blazing sun and noticed something- No, some_one! _

And at that moment their gazes met for the first time in what had felt like eternity. The ghost from her past, the one she had abandoned, the one she had always loved. She knew it in her heart. It was him...

The black fire exploded outwards leaving only a darkened silhouette amidst the crimson sky. And from that figure the greatest roar escaped, one so immense it shook the heavens themselves and struck fear into the hearts of even the heartless beasts which littered the battlefields below.

_**"RUKIA!"**_

25,000 hits! Thanks so much to everyone for reading, this story would be nothing without you. Please review and tell me how you feel about the story.


	25. Black Fang

_**25...Black Fang**_

The great abyss in the clouds was ripped apart by the monstrous battle cry of the orange-haired hero. Ichigo's outraged roar sent chills down the spines of the hollows and shinigami on the battlefield below. All went silent as Ichigo charged down from the heavens, his sword held out behind him in preparation for a fatal blow.

Taru was unfazed. There were some things that unsettled him about the boy's entrance, such as his immense reiatsu but that did not matter. Everything was still falling into place perfectly. He could not fail, not here, not now.

"So, you decided to drop in and save the damsel in distress huh? Your courage would be admirable if not foolish." Taru grinned wickedly and dragged Rukia in front of himself to act as a human shield, and also a hostage.

Ichigo stopped just short of driving his sword through her neck and hovered there, motionless for many agonising seconds. With a great sigh he dropped silently to the ground, his body still blazing with darkened flames. They danced around him and crackled while the stand off ensued.

"Hmm, your mad dash halted instantly...Because of the girl."

Ichigo glared at him. "I won't let you harm Rukia. And I certainly won't fall for your tricks and do the dirty work for you! Give up and fight me!"

"Give up?" Taru's smirk was venomous. "Why do that when I have the entire world in my grasp?"

The thick billowing flames around Ichigo began to subside. Taru took it as the go-ahead to resume shattering his confidence. With this he would bring Ichigo's strength down and slay him with ease...Just as he had planned.

"Do you remember Sosuke Aizen?" The name made Ichigo's eyes narrow. His vicious scowl was answer enough. "Aizen has returned." Ichigo's sword dropped by his side, held limply by his shaking hand.

"N-no! That's not-"

Taru raised a hand for silence. "One of your friends released him for me. The poor girl won't ever see the light of day again. But at least her final act brought me closer to victory..."

"You bastard! Where is he? I'll kill him!" Ichigo raised his sword in anticipation but what Taru said next would strike deep within his soul.

Taru stared deep into Ichigo's eyes and grinned. "Remember what happened last time? You sacrificed your powers and it merely ended in him being enslaved. You don't have nine lives Kurosaki. You cannot defeat him..." Ichigo was about to speak but Taru cut him off. "...If you want to save the girl."

Ichigo bowed his head.

"You will have to fight me with all you have to rescue your dear little princess, but will you really hold one life above those of an entire city?"

"What?" Ichigo asked, fearing the answer.

"Aizen is in Karakura town right now. There is no-one to stop him from creating the Oken now. Not unless you make your choice. Either the girl dies or the entire world. Choose now!" Taru laughed wickedly and threw Rukia forward. She collapsed on her knees and Ichigo ran over to her, instantly wrapping his arms around her.

"Rukia! I won't let him hurt you. I'll protect you till the very end!" Ichigo hugged her tight, not wanting to let her go again. Her absence form his life had been unbearable. He needed her. He could not let her fall...

"Your choice?" Taru drew his sword, already knowing the answer.

Ichigo rose to his feet and pointed his sword at his foe. "I will kill you!" He snarled.

"Ichigo, no! What about Aizen? He will destroy Karakura town and everyone will die!" Rukia couldn't find the strength to stand so she merely kneeled by his side.

Ichigo met her pleading gaze and frowned. "I lost everything there already...My family, friends, my home...It's already gone. You are all I have left. I cannot let them take you as well."

Rukia felt tears run down her face. "You don't understand! If Aizen succeeds then we will all die! Not just those in the World of the Living but every single shinigami as well! We'll both be killed!"

Ichigo closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again they were glistening with fresh tears. "At least we will be together..." The soul trapped behind those amber eyes had given up hope...Everything was gone, taken away by the clutches of death. There was nothing left to save except for Rukia...His decision had been made before he arrived.

Rukia sat back and wept, wept for the loss of her friends, for the loss of the world and for the loss of her and her beloved Ichigo. Their end was imminent now. Ichigo's despair would bring about their doom...There would be no other time for it now...She had to do it now...

"Ichigo...I...I always..." Rukia looked around. Ichigo was gone, Taru as well. She heard a deafening explosion and saw the great blaze on the skyline. The battle had just started but the war was already over...

Ichigo and Taru crossed swords and a mighty rain of sparks hailed down upon the world below. In the instant their swords clashed the sound of thunder erupted from them and both unleashed deafening roars.

"I thank you Kurosaki! You have chosen correctly!" The vile Espada laughed wickedly but Ichigo silenced him with a wild slash only inches from his throat.

"Shut up and fight! I'll finish you off and save Karakura as well. I'll protect everyone!" Ichigo's sword swelled up with spirit energy which exploded against his opponent. Taru slashed through it and charged, thrusting his sword towards the boy's heart. Ichigo flipped over his opponent and landed behind him in a crouch. He slashed at his ankles but Taru leapt into the air and sent a Bala towards him.

Ichigo swatted it aside and pursued him.

The two crossed swords again and hacked madly at each other. They moved with blinding speed, onlookers barely able to trace their movements. They were merely blurs in the sky, leaving behind great explosions and destruction in their wake.

"Die!" The two screamed in unison. Both unleashed their own mighty blasts of energy, the two clashing in the centre, negating the other with a massive eruption of flames and energy. They both tried again and then moved about frantically, trying to catch the other off guard. The sky was set ablaze with light and the battles below ceased as all eyes were set on the fight in the heavens.

Some shinigami took the distraction and used it to their advantage, finishing off the hollows and sending units to aid the others. The battle shifted back into their favour as each and every hollow was eradicated, leaving only the few Espada who had gone into hiding, no doubt for another of Taru's plans.

There was no need to search for them. The relief squads worked overboard as hundreds of wounded flooded in from all squads. Kyouraku's small squad tightened their defences around the infirmary and the squads of the officers sent to Karakura had arrived as reinforcements. Now eleventh, tenth, seventh and third squads stationed themselves around the infirmary. The troops were mobilized now and ready for a next wave if it came.

The other squads took their chance to re-organise their forces and then craned their necks to look at the sky and the great battle taking place there.

Taru ducked and weaved between erratic strikes from his foe. All the while his confident smirk remained affixed to his face and still he spoke arrogantly towards his young opponent. "Impressive. I actually have to move now, but you are still nothing but a pest to me."

"Oh really? Then why haven't you beaten me yet? Last I remember I never saw you struggle against me. Maybe you've finally met your match?" Ichigo smashed his blade down against Taru's hasty defence, pushing him back several metres and leaving him open to attack. Ichigo darted in for the kill but Taru vanished from sight and materialized beside him.

"If you were my match you would have seen through that!" Taru slammed the back of his hand into Ichigo's face. The boy was hurled far down to the ground where he landed in a bloody heap. His black coat was tattered. And he was covered in scratches and bruises. Taru bellowed with laughter. "One little hit and you are already a mess. You are hopeless!"

Ichigo cursed under his breath. "So stupid...You think this is it? You always thought you knew everything...I guess you were wrong."

"What?"

"Watch and learn!" Ichigo hooked his fingers across his left temple and dragged them down across his face, leaving behind a terrifying bone mask, a hollow mask. When next he spoke his voice came out distorted. "Now, let's finish this Taru!"

The Espada rolled his eyes. "Of course. Hollowfication. How could I forget? Oh well, no matter. I will just have to smash that mask into a million pieces _before _I tear that boy limb from limb."

The two raced across the battlefield and collided in a devastating blast of energy. The two immense reiatsu clashed and resulted in both exploding outwards, creating a crater the size of a city. Both were thrown back but instantly regained the footing and charged in for another round of merciless offensives. Ichigo swiped madly at his foe, not just using his sword but clawing with his free hand as well. Taru countered and guarded with utter perfection, avoiding a single scratch. His defence was impossible to break but still Ichigo held up his relentless assault. He hoped to tire him out and then break through his defence.

Unfortunately, Taru was losing patience. He ducked under a horizontal swing and then kicked out; striking Ichigo in the chin and pushing off to perform a back flip through the air. As soon as he landed he rushed in for his counter-attack.

Ichigo reeled from a powerful punch to the stomach. Blood sprayed out between his gritted teeth and he doubled over, merely allowing Taru to continue. He smashed the flat of his blade into the boy's spine, knocking him hard to the ground. Ichigo rolled sluggishly and glared at his foe with his tainted eyes. The blackened orbs flickered with hate and he sat up and rose to his feet, eager to fight back. He swayed unsteadily but remained firm nonetheless.

Out of curiosity Taru held back for a moment to test Ichigo's strength. The head-strong young warrior unleashed a great blast of energy and then re-appeared behind his foe to do the same. He did it in all directions, trapping him within a surging mass of dark energy.

Taru could not dodge and was hit with each and every blast. Ichigo stood a safe distance away, panting heavily, struggling to catch his breath after having it so mercilessly beaten out of his lungs. His shoulders sagged and his sword arm went slack. He was tired. Even with the borrowed powers of his late father he was only just able to gain an advantage over Taru. If so...Then there really was no way of stopping Aizen...

The clouds of dust parted and a ragged form remained within. Taru wiped blood from his eyes and coughed bitterly. His flesh was singed in most areas and he looked like he had just been dug up. Now both opponents were in bad shape, but neither would accept defeat so easily.

One was mad for revenge, unable to back down when his dream was so close, the other had lost so much that there was no longer a chance for defeat. Both were putting their all into the battle.

Taru cursed under his breath and set his murderous gaze on the Kurosaki boy. "Impressive...I didn't expect such a show of force after taking such a beating...I underestimated you..."

"So you understand now I'm not just a little pest!" Ichigo tried to smirk but the pain in his chest made it hard to do so.

Taru nodded curtly. "I do, I do...No longer will I treat you as a mere ant...I shall have to treat you as a rival." Taru's body was suddenly encircled in flames. A dark aura surrounded him, blazing uncontrollably. Ichigo could feel the unnatural heat blasting into his face and had to shield his eyes. "Ichigo Kurosaki, I shall show you how truly powerless you are! Have you forgotten about your encounters with the Espada already?"

Ichigo had to back away before he was knocked down by the overwhelming reiatsu. It was terrifying. He had never felt something so powerful since...Since...

Memories of his near fatal encounter with Ulquiorra flooded through his mind. Fear and doubt tore his mind to shreds, bringing him down. Ichigo gritted his teeth and braced himself for what could possibly be his final battle.

"Bow down in fear! Pray to your false gods for mercy! Prepare to die Kurosaki, for none have ever survived against my ressureccion!" Taru was barely visible behind the swirling mass of energy. Only his silhouette could be seen as it threw its hands wide and laughed at the heavens.

Ichigo gripped his sword with two hands to stop it from shaking. He had never been more afraid in his life. This battle was one he had to win. He had lost his past battles and now Rukia was the only one treasure he had left. He could not let her be swallowed up by the darkness. He would protect her until the bitter end...Even if it meant sacrificing the entire world...Even if it meant he had to suffer the extremes of pain, he would not falter, would not fall.

Taru cried out with all he had, his voice dripping with menace. "Drown in darkness! Kage O Chissoku!"

In an instant the world turned black. All colour drained from the sky and ominous black blood seemed to bleed from the sky itself, coating the world below in shadows. Ichigo and indeed all of Soul Society watched as the vibrant flickering hope of the sun was suffocated and consumed. The air suddenly became thick and hard to breathe. Everything was blurry. Everyone felt dizzy.

Taru laughed manically as the racing flames billowed outwards and vanished, revealing a monstrosity the likes of which none had ever seen. He had not grown in size at all. He was still the same from a distance, but on closer inspection his flesh was rotting. He was covered in horrible sores which oozed blackened pus. His face was hidden behind a grotesque death mask, a vicious, demonic skull with hideous fangs and glowing red eyes. His hands were coated in thick tar to the extent it looked like he was wearing gloves. The same disgusting ooze coated his feet and around his waist. His flesh was terribly pale, the colour of someone long deceased. Taru's fanged jaws parted and a hideous, distorted croak bellowed out.

Ichigo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. For a moment he was sober, calm, collected. In the very next instant he was quite the opposite. With a roar of bestial rage Ichigo charged, swinging his sword which was glowing with energy. He knew it deep down within the pit of his soul that he stood little chance. He had to act fast, catch him off guard. Only then would he be able to finish the battle with his body intact. He knew that his body was slowing down. His vision was getting blurry. Taru's ressureccion was somehow causing it all. There was no other option other than to put all of his courage, every last bit of strength he could possibly muster...And move in for the kill...

As he surged towards his most fearsome opponent Ichigo could only think of one person; with raven black hair, bewitching ocean-blue eyes and a smile as warm as the sun...Rukia. She was the glistening white moon which pierced the darkness and gave him light to see. She illuminated his path towards destiny and fuelled his passion. She was his only reason to live, his only reason to win...

But to keep the moon shining, Ichigo would slay the dark night sky itself, for there was nothing his fangs could not reach.


	26. White Moon

**_26...White Moon..._**

Aizen studied the world beneath him. It was all his now. The second incantation was complete. The ritual was nearly finished. All he needed now was the final chant. With its completion the wretched little town would be decimated and amidst the destruction the Oken would be born. Many innocents would die but that would only be the start. The horror would only mount higher as Aizen claimed the heavens and reigned down upon those unfortunate to survive the onslaught. He would enslave all, slay any who opposed him and rule all life; living or dead. He would become...God,

The thought was truly exciting. Aizen couldn't help but smile broadly and give himself a round of applause. This had been so easy, he had not even had to face any foes the entire time and now he had only a few more lines to chant before victory was truly his.

"Hmm, it seems that none dare to defy god. Very well. I shall make my position official with this final chant."

Aizen parted his lips to speak but no sound came out. Instead a thick torrent of blood spurted out. He glanced down at a sword piercing his chest. He glared into the reflection on the cold steel and noted the face of his attacker.

"Captain Hitsugaya...How clever. You snuck up on me without me noticing..."

Toshiro laughed. "Hardly. You were so engrossed in your own arrogance I could have charged at you head-on and you never would have known! Without you zanpakuto you are no longer able to trick me! Without that little ace up your sleeve this battle is already over! Prepare to die Aizen, enjoy the eternal torments of Hell!"

Aizen chuckled heartily. "You poor little child...How foolish you are."

Toshiro felt a sharp stabbing pain in his side. He glanced down and saw Aizen's sword deep in his body. He hastily wrenched the blade free and staggered back to a safe distance. He took inventory of hi injury and held a small, pale hand over the large wound.

Aizen spun around to face his opponent and smiled. "You have been an ever persistent little worm. This time I will make sure to end you efficiently."

"You bastard!" Toshiro snarled. "I will never let you defeat me! For Momo...I...I will kill you!"

"Vengeance is such a dull motive. Such a pitiful act, especially for a captain."

Toshiro was unfazed by the taunt. He had heard Aizen's lies before. He had grown thick-skinned, or at least he hoped. "Give up Aizen. I told you last time we fought that I would sacrifice my rank to destroy you. It is no concern of mine, as long as I protect the world from a menace such as you!"

"Very well, young dragon. Face me." Aizen placed a hand over his wound and suddenly it glowed bright green. In a matter of seconds he moved it aside and the wound was cleared. He smirked at his own skill and nodded to his opponent. "I have mastered all manner of kido in my time. You have quite a mountain to scale before you can fight on par with me, young one."

Toshiro scowled. "Don't talk down to me Aizen. I will defeat you!" He roared like a wild animal and charged towards the traitor. Aizen waited patiently and swatted him aside with his sword. As Toshiro regained his footing Aizen turned on him and swung down upon his bare back. Toshiro only just managed to bring up his sword in time but the incredible force behind Aizen's swing forced the flat of the young captain's sword to smash into his ribs. Aizen's blade was pressing against his cheek, slicing a burning trench into his flesh. Toshiro tried to move his head backwards, out of the way but there was little room to move. He kicked out and knocked Aizen back enough so that he could get back on his feet and scream, "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!"

The young boy's sword became coated in a thin layer of frost and as he swung it toward his foe a great dragon made of ice shot forth, soaring across the battlefield. Aizen thrust his sword into the beast's face, splattering ice all over himself. Before it could freeze him he forcefully raised his reiatsu, shattering the weak prison and pushing his opponent back.

Toshiro grew agitated, roaring with utter insanity. He raced across the battlefield summoning dozens of the icy serpents, sending them all towards the enemy at once. While he waited he screamed as loud as he could, "Bankai!" Icy wings burst forth from his back and soon his hands were encased in frozen gauntlets. A frosted tail whipped around behind him and with a grunt of effort he unleashed anther wave of watery dragons.

Aizen seemed relaxed as he cut down each and every monster to cross his path. He moved with almost graceful movements, destroying the opposing creatures with ease. He made his way towards Toshiro, wading through the sea of frozen fangs.

The young dragon was lost in a daze of fury. He did not notice Aizen creeping up towards him, too absorbed in his relentless hacking and slashing. Dozens more dragons surrounded Aizen and each of them rushed in for the kill at once, their jaws snapping down on him in unison. Aizen cried out in pain and Toshiro smiled.

"I got you...I finally got you!" Toshiro laughed joyously but it was cut short quite literally when Aizen materialized before him. Aizen seemed to tower over him as he stood there, silent, motionless. Toshiro was paralysed. All he could do was stare as the blade arced down upon him, burying itself deep within his shoulder and carving on down his torso until a great rift was cut across his body.

The young captain started to fall, his knees giving way but he drove his sword into the earth, holding himself up. He cursed under his breath and pushed himself back up onto his feet. He could barely stand and he was beginning to stumble forward. Rather than fight it he went with the momentum and brought his sword up high. He let out one last mighty battle cry and made one final dash towards the enemy.

Aizen rushed to meet him as well. He set off on a slow jog, slowly building speed until he was sprinting towards the young foe.

"Aizen!" Toshiro roared, pushing his wobbling legs to propel himself forward. Aizen raised his own sword high and prepared to finish the wounded dragon off.

The two never even crossed swords. Aizen didn't even strike the boy.

Toshiro fell forward, hitting the ground with a deafening crash. He landed face first in the dirt, several metres away from Aizen. Blood loss and exhaustion struck him down before Aizen could. The little captain breathed his last during his mad dash and started tilting forward. His body started to shut down and his legs gave out on him, throwing him forth into the ground. He had dropped his sword a few paces earlier and the icy wings had crumbled to dust. He had deteriorated before he could reach his greatest opponent and now he had died with his vendetta unavenged. Such was the ultimate shame for a warrior.

Aizen frowned, disappointed merely because he had not been able to deal the finishing blow. He sighed to himself and prepared for the final incantation...again...

This time he was wary. If Toshiro had arrived, then surely other captains would be on their way. He would either have to prolong the ritual and fight...Or finish things before they arrived. He decided to go with the latter option. He bowed his head and begun the final chant.

* * *

Wide, terrified eyes gazed up at the darkened sky. Darkness enshrouded all of Soul Society and not a single trace of sunlight could pierce through. Even the darkest night paled in comparison to the abyss which drowned the world now.

Taru howled madly, throwing his tar-coated fists to the heavens. "Bow down to me! Beg for mercy you pitiful insects!"

One such warrior refused. Ichigo Kurosaki, a down-hearted hero with nothing but the weapon in his hand, gripped his sword and charged head on towards the cackling madman. He roared with untamed rage, his blade enveloped by a spreading orb of blazing energy. As he neared he swung his sword, unleashing the mighty blast upon the monstrosity which had become of Taru.

The sky was lit up for the briefest of moments as their blades clashed and their duelling reiatsu crashed together. The explosion was, in the blink of an eye, like the sun. The glowing fireball subsided within the darkness and the world was thrown back into shadows. Ichigo attacked mercilessly, hacking madly at his foe, not daring let the demon take hold and launch his own offensive.

_He's strong...Very strong...I can't let him attack me! I have to keep him at bay until I can think of a plan..._

Taru brought his sword up to guard the opposing swing. As Ichigo used the momentum to spin on his heels and hack at the opposite side, Taru brought one blackened hand up and caught it effortlessly in his palm. Ichigo was shocked, but he remembered many Espada had such abilities. It was nothing to panic about. He had to stay calm, collected. He smiled confidently rather than get agitated. "I see you've gotten stronger."

"Ha! Your blade is nothing but a blunt stick against me. I could destroy you with my bare hands!" Taru goaded. The rotting pile of meat dropped his sword and watched it soar down to the ground below. When he glanced back at his foe a venomous grin spread like cancer across his necrotic face. "You are already dead, Kurosaki. Can you feel it?"

Ichigo cursed under his breath and started blinking rapidly. He was growing tired, his eyes drifting shut without his consent. His shoulders were slumping and it was becoming hard to breathe, as if his lungs were being crushed from the inside.

Taru smirked. "My ressureccion is unlike any you have ever seen. All those you have fought before merely summon their hollow powers and manifest it upon themselves. It made them physically stronger and faster, but that was all. I however have a different power. Rather than make myself any stronger, I use all of my hollow powers to affect the area around me to gain my advantage."

Ichigo's eyes widened. He would have protested, denied his words but instead he doubled over and coughed violently. A mouthful of thick black paste spurted out into his hand and he stared at it in disgust.

"Do you understand now? I am not stronger...You are just wearing down. Your lungs are filling with tar, your blood is flowing slower and your body is breaking down. I don't even have to cut you down, this world will destroy you soon enough. Every breath you take is killing you." His laughter then was like a blade piercing his chest. "Everyone will die unless you slay me right now. In a matter of minutes every soul in this godforsaken place will be eradicated and the world will be mine!"

Ichigo shook his head and slammed his blade down on Taru's forearm. The thick goo which oozed from his pores stopped the sword, like a liquid shield. Ichigo grunted with effort and tried to force it down, to slice through his pallid, decaying flesh but Taru's arm remained unscathed.

"Give up." Taru spat. "You cannot defeat me. You cannot destroy the shadows. This hopeless endeavour will only end your life faster."

With a great roar Ichigo drove his fist into Taru's face. The rotting abomination was hurled far back where he landed in a heap. "I don't care!" Ichigo snarled. "I will never give up! I will fight until the very end...For that is the oath I swore when I became a shinigami!" The brave young warrior swung his blade in a downwards arc, a surging mass of energy flowing forth to strike the enemy. Ichigo panted heavily and unleashed another Getsuga Tensho upon his foe. Ichigo glared at the beastly silhouette amidst the billowing clouds of smoke and dust. "A beast without honour such as you would never understand, but I promised to protect everyone, living or dead. I will not stop fighting until they are safe, even if I have to sacrifice my own life!"

Taru's silhouette disintegrated and the foul creature appeared right before Ichigo, a murderous scowl affixed to his face. In a blur of movement he backhanded his foe and growled. "You fool! How dare you defy me!"

As Ichigo clambered back to his feet he wiped the blood from his lips. His eyes were like blazing suns, lighting the path to destiny. "No, you are the fool. You will _never _win! No matter what happens to me I will stop you!" Ichigo charged once again into the darkness, striking out at the barely visible opponent.

Every movement Taru made simply melded his body into the shadows around him. His speed was hard to match in daylight but in this abyss he was practically untraceable. Ichigo struggled on, hacking and slashing until his blade connected. He smirked and put all his weight into the edge of his sword. The blade cut down ever so slightly, but he could feel it digging through Taru's flesh. It may not have been a fatal blow, but to know he could still hurt him meant something.

Taru groaned and drove a fist into Ichigo's gut. The force of the blow actually lifted him off his feet and for a moment Ichigo was hunched over horizontally in mid-air. As gravity dragged him down Taru sped up the process by smashing his heel down into the warrior's spine. Ichigo cried out as he was sent hurtling down to the ground below.

The darkness made it impossible to tell where the ground is and to Ichigo he felt like he was falling for eternity, never to hit the ground...Just forever falling, deeper and deeper into despair. He tried to catch the air around him and slow his fall but it did nothing to help him. He was unable to stop. In the back of his mind a little voice begged for him to hit the ground and not get up again. Ichigo pushed it aside and instead tried once again to gain traction on the air. The ground hit him before he could even reach out.

He hit with a jarring thud. The pain swept over him faster than he could blink an eyelid. One second he was falling, the next he felt like the world had just crashed down on him. His bones felt like dust and he couldn't move. He had no idea where he was. His head was spinning and everywhere he looked there was only an eternal emptiness, a void of black. He wanted to cry out in pain but his lungs could barely draw in enough air to breathe let alone scream.

Normally such a fall would knock him around a bit, keep him down for a few moments and leave a few nasty bruises and cuts...But now...Taru's vile trickery was making everything worse. He was winded and yet the tar filling his lungs was preventing him from getting his breath back. He could feel his own blood pouring down around him, though it felt thicker, heavier...If only he could see it...If only he could see his blood...then there would be a little bit of colour in this place.

"Are you done already?" Taru taunted from the charcoal-choked heavens. "Right now your body is shutting down. Before you would have been able to get up instantly and resume fighting but now you cannot recuperate. By the time you even stand up you will have already drawn your last breath!"

"B-Bastard..." Ichigo whispered, unable to raise his voice. He propped one arm underneath himself and struggled to lift. He sat up slowly and waited for a moment. When he tried to stand him merely collapsed back down again. He tried again and again up couldn't climb back to his feet.

The deafening thunder-strike of Taru's feet on solid ground sent tremors through Ichigo's broken body. The decaying demon stalked his prey and stood over him. "Blood has stopped flowing to your legs. The human body cuts off circulation to your extremities to preserve a flow within vital areas. Right now your body is betraying you. Try as you might, but you cannot stand up anymore. Eventually your fingers will go numb, then your entire arm and then you will just lie there, staring up into nothingness and the life drains from your accursed soul! And even as your brain starts to die off, your heart will remain intact...So you can feel the pain of everything you've lost right until your dying breath! Isn't it wonderful?"

Ichigo reached up with a shaking hand and grabbed Taru's arm. He dragged himself up until he was closer to him and then thrust his sword into his stomach. The blade was barely visible in the lightless world but Ichigo felt reassurance when blood dripped down over his hands. Black blood pumped around the wound but it was cold, icy cold. Ichigo lost the strength in his arms and dropped to the ground, bumping something hard and metallic. He wrapped his fingers around his sword and frowned.

_What the...My sword can't be...It's still stuck in Taru's gut..._

Ichigo heard Taru drop like a bag of stones. Ichigo squinted through the darkness and saw something, a sliver of perfect snow-white. A length of ribbon danced in the air and Ichigo was mesmerized by. It had been so long since he saw it that he couldn't remember what it was. The gleaming white blade was struck into the earth and stood there. The wielder was nowhere to be seen however and Ichigo squinted harder.

"Ichigo..." A faint voice, a delicate whisper like the sigh of the wind.

Ichigo closed his eyes and thought hard. That voice, that soothing, gentle voice that sounded like a lullaby...It was familiar to him. As he opened his eyes once more he saw a face, looming over his, amidst the darkness. Two beautiful, deep blue orbs stared deep into his eyes. Around them tears started to flow. One of them landed on his cheek and Ichigo shivered. In the next instant he felt two arms encircle him and embrace him. An instant flood of warmth rushed through him and he could feel once more, but this was not pain...The familiar soul wept into his chest as she hugged him tighter. Ichigo wished to stay like this forever, in this comforting embrace. Her breaths were ragged and it sounded as if she too was struggling to breathe. He could feel her heartbeat...It was slow...Too slow.

"Ichigo..." She whispered once again, her voice becoming fainter. "I...I always..."

The heartbeat stopped.

The arms around Ichigo suddenly went slack.

The moonlight started fading.

_**"RUKIA!"**_

_**

* * *

**_

With this chapter I have officially written over a million words with all my stories combined. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and I hope you will continue to enjoy it right until the very end. Thanks for reading and please remember to review!


	27. Oken

_**27...Oken**_

Aizen chuckled madly as the Hogyoku embedded deep within his chest started to glow. A radiant white light enveloped the precious orb and Aizen could feel unimaginable strength flooding through him. The incantation was nearly complete. Just one more line and the word was his...But there was a slight problem...

"Aizen!" A deep roar echoed across the heavens as a colossal blade swung down upon him. Aizen looked up with a bored expression and brought his own sword up in defence. Although the size of a tree, the great blade was unable to break past Aizen's defence. The unremarkable katana, dwarfed by that of the opponent managed to stop it completely.

Aizen grinned at the immense golem standing over him. Even while standing in the clouds the great beast had to look down to see him. Perched atop his shoulder, a large man stood guard. His face was more akin to that of a fox and yet he had the body of a man. Tufts of fur stuck out from beneath his armour and cold, lupine eyes glared at the traitorous foe.

"Captain Kommamura, it has been a while hasn't it? Your fur is starting to grey-"

"Silence!" Kommamura roared. "How dare you speak to me! I am in no mood for your condescending lies Aizen! If you must speak then do so with your blade!"

"Come now, there is no need for such anger. Besides," Aizen's smile was hideous, a monstrous contortion of happiness. "If I spoke with my blade, you would be dead before you heard me."

Kommamura's face twitched and in a fit of rage he brought his sword down upon the air. The golem followed suit and swung at Aizen.

The despicable villain shook his head. "A shame...I wanted to enjoy this..." Aizen vanished from sight. Although his speed was frightening without his complete hypnosis the other battle hardened captains could trace his movements. Kommamura, being a veteran of war managed to shield himself from a vicious thrust to his side. Aizen's sword bounced off and for a moment he was open to attack. The fox-man grabbed Aizen by the throat and lifted him up to his face.

"You...I will enjoy destroying you! I will avenge those we have lost and protect the innocent souls in my charge. My honour as a captain of the proud thirteen court guards will not allow me to spare you. I will stop you and bring an end to this menace!"

Aizen's smirk was still there, even as his cheeks begun to turn a shade of blue. He couldn't respond, but the look in his eyes was a taunt in itself.

Kommamura scowled, his face scrunching up like a feral wolf about to attack. He snarled like his canine brethren and his fangs were revealed. He squeezed harder, his fingers constricting tighter around his opponent's throat. He raised his sword and pointed it squarely at Aizen, the sharpened tip aimed directly for his heart, or lack thereof.

"Die! Die and rot in Hell, you traitor!" Kommamura drove his sword into his foe but in the instant his blade hit flesh a blinding white light enveloped him and then everything went numb. For a moment everything went blank and in the next he was falling...Falling through the sky. Trails of blood streamed up from the clouds, as if he were abseiling on liquid ropes. He could see Aizen standing there, enveloped in a heavenly light. Everything burned. Everything hurt. The pain was excruciating. Even worse, he didn't even know what had happened.

Why was this happening? Merely a few seconds ago he was choking the life out of Aizen, his blade poised to strike him down...So why? Why now was he plummeting towards the earth, his flesh singed and his hopes shattered?

Kommamura hit the ground hard. A thick cloud of dust spat upwards from the crater created by his thunderous impact. His eyes, now half-closed rolled about listlessly until they spotted Aizen.

"It is too late, captain Kommamura. With the incantation so close to completion the Hogyoku will not allow anyone to get in my way. If my life is threatened then the Hogyoku will defend itself. That burning you feel is the hand of god striking you down! Finally I am invincible! Nothing in this life or the next can possibly stand a chance against me!"

Kommamura tried to roar in defiance, but he was at a loss for words. He could barely keep his eyes open. The pain was unbearable and he felt so tired...Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he got some rest? The great warrior extended a hand to the sky, reaching for Aizen one last time. His fingers curled around nothing but air and with a pained sigh his hand crashed down beside him. With his final breath his lips parted and through gritted teeth he growled, "Forgive me..."

Aizen saluted him and then set his sights on a spot down on the ground. Another captain had already arrived. His erratic, untamed reiatsu was unmistakeable and neither were the chiming of bells, a chilling omen of destruction. It could be none other than the great Kenpachi Zaraki, but now it was too late for even him to succeed.

Victory was well within Aizen's grasp and it was about time he took it. Aizen merely stared at Kenpachi and wished for his destruction. The Hogyoku granted his wish and a powerful beam of light shot down from his chest. The beam hit Zaraki in his centre mass and he was thrown far back, levelling an entire street as he crashed through. He was not dead, but he would stay back long enough for the final line, the last few words before Karakura town would vanish forever.

It was time.

Aizen closed his eyes and bowed his head. He whispered under his breath, so quietly he could barely hear it himself. He waited for a moment before opening his eyes and when he did he had to shield himself from the burning light.

* * *

Near the borders of Karakura town, Tatsuki gazed up at the sky. It was glowing brighter than the sun. It appeared as if a star had suddenly appeared just above the town. She could only stare at it for so long before she had to turn away, not from the light, but from the horrid realisation that her home was no more.

Ryuken Ishida stood beside her. The cigarette he was smoking fell right from between his lips and hit the ground. The others around them all stared up at the sky as well, torn between curiosity and fear.

Two others had joined the group. One was a dark-skinned woman, Yoruichi and the other was captain Ukitake. The two gazed hopelessly at the light, knowing fully well that their time had run out and they had failed. Evacuating the town had been their main priority and they had barely managed to save a few hundred. There were countless others still trapped inside.

Ukitake bowed his head and cursed. "I have failed the people of Karakura...I have failed myself...Such failure is a stain on my honour as a captain..."

Yoruichi placed a hand on his shoulder for reassurance. "You tried...Aizen was too strong for us anyway, but if we can save lives then it is all worth it."

Ukitake shook his head. "I saved no lives. I merely fell into a trap and brought upon our own demise. I am to blame for this all! If anyone is to die it should be me, but not those innocent people! They did nothing wrong!"

Yoruichi frowned. "It is not your fault. Aizen did this. You cannot blame yourself for that despicable creature's actions. What's done is done and we cannot go back, we can only make the best of things as they are now..."

Tatsuki listened in on their words but it made little sense to her. All she knew was the life she once lived was no more. Her home, school, friends, family, neighbours...All of them would be gone. Everything she once cherished would soon vanish in apocalyptic light.

"Goodbye...Karakura..."

* * *

In that very next instant, a child glanced up at the sky. The swing stopped suddenly and she found herself staring up at the light breaking through the clouds, like a star down from Heaven. She smiled at the beautiful display and all around her people were taking photos on their phones or with cameras and other children clung protectively to their parents, pointing to the sky.

A stray dog stopped picking scraps from an upturned bin and turned it's snout to the sky. The light was blinding and its tail stopped waging and sagged down lazily. It barked at the light, afraid of what it may bring.

Two teens sitting on a park bench stopped kissing and instead looked up. Their eyes lit up like candles and they handed their camera to a passer-by. The boy cradled the girl in his arms and planted a kiss on her cheek while she beamed a gorgeous smile, all the while framed in the white lights. A perfect image, if not their last.

An old man stepped outside for the first time in years and gazed up at the clouds. It hurt his eyes but he was compelled to keep looking. His fear of the outside disappeared with all the darkness in the world. Now there was only light.

An entire town came to a standstill as every single pair of eyes was glued to the sky. Every jaw dropped and a stunned silence ran through all of Karakura, as if everyone held their breath in awe.

None of them ever breathed again.

* * *

The white light exploded outwards, consuming everything, drowning out all shadows and enveloping the world. Those inquisitive stares were no longer noticed as the entire town vanished behind a veil of heavenly light. It expanded further until the entire town was no longer visible...And then there was a noise.

It was not a typical thunderous explosion, nor did it sound like any other earthly explosion. No, this was something different. The sound which escaped from the vibrant white hell was truly sickening. It was the collective screams of everyone and everything inside the orb crushed together and then sent echoing outwards accompanied by rolling thunder and a million lightning strikes at once.

Nearby people, those who escaped the blast could feel it within their very soul as a once thriving town vanished into nothingness, an empty void. The earth trembled and the ground cracked as Karakura was drawn into the abyss.

The white light turned to enshrouding darkness and a horrible black ocean swept over the town. Terrified wails emanated from the vision of apocalypse and hundreds, thousands of lives ended in an instant. In the blink of an eye life existed and was extinguished. As the orb receded back into itself the town of Karakura vanished into nothingness, forgotten.

A horrible black emptiness was all that remained, a gigantic abyss, a hollow ocean. Above the void, one man remained perched upon the vacant clouds. Actually, he was not a man...Not anymore. Now...He was a god! Aizen had transcended mortality and had become god of this new, dead, world. And as people mourned the loss of their home, Aizen laughed. His voice like the booming, thunderous roar of Heaven's master. His wicked, abominable laughter struck fear in every heart and sent chills down every spine. The word monster no longer applied to him, he had passed beyond a monster, to something so incomprehensibly evil that words could no longer describe him. Fittingly he called himself 'God'.

"The Oken...Is mine." The smile on Aizen's face was unbreakable. All the failures of the past, all the hard work and fallen comrades...It had all been worth it. His pawns had all sacrificed themselves but finally the Oken would be his and the King of Soul Society would die a painful and long overdue death. Soul Society would be powerless before him and he would rule over all life. The endgame had truly begun.

* * *

As Taru fell his minions took it upon themselves to keep up the attack for any hesitation in their offensive would grant an advantage to the shinigami. Yami attacked the infirmary, taking position alongside one of her masked comrades. Rather than wait for an opening Yami merely charged ahead blindly, forcing her way through a line of shinigami and breaking into the large building.

The wounded and their carers glanced up to see what all the noise was, but by then Yami was upon them, slaughtering them brutally and efficiently, meanwhile her comrade fought off the guards trying to get inside and help the defenceless ones. Both Espada made quick work of their prey, terrorising the vital point of Soul Society's army. The wounded from all squads were placed here and to attack it would render their forces helpless and weak.

While Yami went about her butchery, her ally was faced against a powerful and vengeful opponent...A captain.

"We meet again, shinigami dog." He rasped.

Kyouraku bowed his head and cursed. "How dare you speak to me like that, you wretched vermin! I will avenge my fallen squad and force you to feel the pain you inflicted upon my dear, sweet Nanao! I will tear you apart! Now come! Face me!"

The Espada grinned. "Very well, but first let me introduce myself. I am Kukyo, executioner of the great captain Shunsui Kyouraku."

"You bastard!" Kyouraku charged and the two crossed blades in a furious rain of sparks. Kukyo raked his talons across the captain's side but it failed to slow him down. Rage spurred him on and Shunsui fought with unimaginable strength. With a roar of anger he pushed his opponent back and lunged, burying one blade into Kukyo's left arm. The Espada wrenched his arm free and leapt back, letting his ruined arm hang limply by his side.

"Pretty good. Your reputation is not undeserved I see. But this is not the extent of my power. Watch now, as I destroy every fibre of your being! Vanish, Sora No Tamashi!" Kukyo's black gauntlets grew thin black roots that started to envelop the warrior's arms and soon spread across his body. As they dug into his skin like vicious worms he grinned. The roots solidified into armour and some struck out like spines, soon coating him in needles. His gauntlets grew in size and the talons became longer and sharper, now with wicked jagged edges, ideal for inflicting pain.

Kyouraku braced himself. His gaze beckoned his foe forward and he charged across the battlefield, howling madly. The two clashed with the sound of thunder and both were knocked back from the incredible force. They regained their footing and charged in for another round, this time launching merciless offensives, striking wildly.

Kyouraku winced as his flesh was lacerated by the spine covered Espada. Each time he got close enough to strike Kukyo would dash forward and slice into him. Blood coated him from head to toe as every patch of skin on his body was torn. He shuffled awkwardly on his feet as he tried to remain focused, his concentration giving him a headache. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and rushed into the fore once again.

Kukyo grinned wickedly as the two crossed blades once more. "You're still angry about what happened to that foolish assistant of yours? She was not worth such attention. She could barely put up a fight. She tried to shield herself behind her books but it did not help at all. I enjoyed cutting her up slowly, watching her squirm, listening to her cry!"

"You monster!" Kyouraku pushed forward, forcing Kukyo onto one knee. The two gritted their teeth as they put every bit of energy they had into their standoff. "Nanao was innocent! No-one should take enjoyment out of suffering!"

"Ha! I guess we really are just 'lowly hollows'. We are merely bloodthirsty killers without a heart. But if we are so pathetic, then what does that make you?" Kukyo's eyes flickered with malice.

Kyouraku grunted as he was pushed back. "I am above such a primitive beast. Even the maggots that feast on the dead have more worth than you scum!" Kyouraku leaned forward and pressed the attack once again.

"Hmm, you must be important, because as your little Nanao bled to death she kept on crying out your name, begging for her drunken captain to come save her. It was funny at first but then it got annoying...So I sliced her stomach open and killed her!"

"Grrraaaaaaagghhh!" Kyouraku smashed his forehead against his opponent's mask, cracking the bony visage and forcing the vile Espada to scream in pain. As he stumbled back Kyouraku hacked his right arm off and drove his other blade deep inside his stomach.

Kukyo tried to speak but only black bile bubbled up out of his throat in a choking wheeze. He dropped to his knees and stared up at his foe. The immense vengeful desire in the captain's eyes was terrifying. It was only now that Kukyo realised his mistake. His taunts had not broken the man, but instead fuelled his rage and given him the strength to fight on. He had severed a few too many nerves and the great warrior snapped, unleashing his fury upon him. Now, here he was, choking on his own blood at the hands of a lowly shinigami.

"I won't kill you. I'll let you suffer!" Kyouraku snarled. He sliced off the Espada's other arm and kicked him onto his back. He then drove the blade through his gut and into the ground below, pinning the wretched beast in place. Shunsui glared at him in silence for a moment before rushing inside the infirmary to rescue those who had yet to be slain.

* * *

The world was dark. Everything was lost in a sea of eternal darkness. Pain coursed through every single vein and rotted through her bones. Kiyone had never felt such agony. She tried her hardest to open her eyes but everything was the same. Everything was dark. Was she blind? Was she dead? What was going on?

"Oh, I remember you. Long time no see! Ha!" The voice was vaguely familiar but no names or faces appeared in her mind.

"Where...Am I?" Kiyone whispered softly, her voice unable to rise above the chorus of destruction outside.

The familiar stranger giggled like a little girl. "You're in hell now!"

That venomous tone unleashed a flood of blurred memories and Kiyone's eyes shot wide open. She tried to get up but she was too weak, it was if her arms and legs were made of lead. They weighed her down and Kiyone was unable to do anything but lie there, helpless.

Yami was barely visible in the darkness, like a ghost. She blended in well, but the killing intent that cried out for blood was unimaginably strong. The evil young girl smiled a deceptively warm smile. "I guess you're stronger than you look. I thought I'd killed you, but oh well. It just means I get to smash your skull all over again!" Yami lunged, clawing at her immobile victim.

Kiyone closed her eyes and winced when she felt hot blood spray across her face. Oddly enough she felt no pain...Or at least not any new pain. She opened one eye and discovered a new figure standing before her, this one holding a large scimitar in his weathered hands. His eyes were hidden beneath a rice hat, but even so the eternal night concealed his identity.

"Are you alright, Kiyone?" The new arrival asked.

Kiyone nodded slowly, any sudden movements brought white waves of pain through her. The simple act of nodding exhausted her and she collapsed back into the soft mattress she laid upon. The mysterious warrior cleaned his blade on the sheet at Kiyone's feet and then he strolled off, slowly, cautiously.

Yami's hyperactive curses rolled through from the next room and Kiyone listened in on the battle that ensued, silently wishing for her unknown saviour to defeat Yami and protect her...Just until her captain made it back.

The thunderclap of swords clashing hurt her ears and gave her migraines, but she endured, for she had to stay awake to see Ukitake's face...It was a promise they had made together. She had been useless to her captain this entire time, it was the least she could do to survive long enough to apologise for her weakness and only then could she drift into the eternal slumber of death.


	28. Blood in Heaven

_**28...Blood in Heaven**_

Rukia had watched Ichigo and Taru fight. The boy's courage and determination seemed not enough to defeat Taru, especially with the sickening black tar which was spreading like a cancer throughout his body. Even she could feel it blocking off her airways, cutting off circulations, smothering her from the inside. Taru had to be stopped now, but with the parasitic nature of his ressureccion every passing second only weakened everyone further thus placing victory further out of reach.

Ichigo was losing. He was unable to hold his own against such an overwhelmingly powerful foe. Taru used his bare hands to crush Ichigo and send him soaring down to earth like a fallen star. He hit with a horrific thud.

Rukia couldn't help but gasp, but that only allowed more of the toxic air to infiltrate her lungs and make her dizzy. Her head was spinning and she tugged at her hair to bring herself back into reality. She shook her head and found her sword beside her. As she stared at its dazzling snow white blade she saw her own terrified reflection, and behind her, Taru stalking his prey like a hyena. Rukia knew what she had to do. She had been helpless this entire time with Taru watching over her like a hawk, but now with his back turned and his minions all scattered across Soul Society she finally had an opening. With a weak grunt she lifted her blade and for a moment it felt as if it weighed a ton. She struggled to lift it at first but when she saw Taru standing over Ichigo adrenaline surged through her and she managed to raise it high enough. She bolted across the blackened soil, a furious roar dwelling within her but not enough strength to let it out.

Silently she crossed the battlefield, glaring at Taru's hideously scarred back. She saw Ichigo sit up, grasping his blade. He tried to thrust it into Taru's gut, but his strength failed him and his sword merely fell from his hands and crashed to the ground. Ichigo rocked forward and collapsed into his opponent. Taru raised a hand and formed a fist, but before he could strike, Sode no Shirayuki ran through him, spilling warm streams of blood to cascade down upon the Kurosaki boy.

Ichigo grasped the blade in his delirious state but soon noticed it was not his own. He let go and fell back, his head hitting the ground hard. He fumbled around and found his sword. Confusion flooded his weakening mind and he stared up at the glistening white blade hovering in the darkness before him. The length of white ribbon danced gracefully in the silent breeze. For a moment all was silent as the two met each other's gazes.

Taru fell face first into the dirt, groaning pitifully. Neither Rukia nor Ichigo paid him any heed, lost in their own company for the first time in what had felt like an agonising eternity. Rukia dropped to her knees and wept, whispering the name that had been forever on the tip of her tongue. "Ichigo..."

She hugged him, clutching him so tight that he could never disappear from her sight again. The pain of everything that had happened was unleashed in a flood of sorrow. She felt Ichigo's hand brush against her hair and she closed her eyes and dreamed of what could have been. She wanted to speak, but her throat was clogged with tar. Her eyelids were getting heavy and she could barely keep them open. The end was approaching fast, she could feel it. Her heart was beating slowly, incredibly slowly and yet she was wheezing from exhaustion. She looked into Ichigo's amber eyes and smiled ever so weakly.

"Ichigo...I...I always..."

_This is it. I have to tell him. Tell him before I..._

Everything disappeared.

* * *

_**"RUKIA!"**_

Ichigo winced from the pain of sitting up. He cradled her head and stroked her cheek. It was icy cold. Panic settled in fast and Ichigo cried out her name once more, as if she had just fallen asleep and needed to be awakened.

"Rukia! Please answer me! Rukia?" He shook her frenziedly but it did little good. He felt for a heartbeat and barely heard a fragile thump. Her heart was barely beating, so slow, so weak it could only just be felt. Ichigo wrapped his arms around her and sobbed. "Please Rukia, not again! I can't lose you again!"

The pain in his heart was unbearable, as if someone had injected thousands of tiny needles into it and injected pure agony into it. His breath was catching in his lungs, but not from Taru's toxins, this was from sorrow. His hands trembled as he brushed hair out of Rukia's eyes and as he did so he noticed just how pale his knuckles had gone, milky white. He whispered her name once more, despite the pain it caused him and then he waited for a response.

When none occurred, he leaned down until his face was mere inches from Rukia's. He gazed longingly at her soft, delicate features and then closed his eyes. His face drifted closer to hers until their lips were almost touching...

And then a vibrant flash of white exploded out across the land. Ichigo could see the white flash even with his eyes closed. It burned into his mind and blinded him. It paralysed him for the briefest of moments and when it was gone he felt as if he had just been knocked out. He pried his eyes open and saw something up in the sky...A big white streak, as if the artificial night Taru had created was sliced open with an immense blade. Amidst the light, a lone figure stepped out into view. There was something oddly familiar about him but Ichigo couldn't-

Suddenly it hit him. Nightmares flashed through his mind in an instant and the vile grinning demon up in the clouds suddenly gained a name...The name Ichigo had never wanted to repeat as long as he ever lived...

"Aizen?"

The villainous warrior reached into his uniform and took out a small gold object. It was hard to make out what it was from such a distance, but the distinctive shine of gold struck out through the darkness.

"What is that?" Ichigo asked, unaware he was hugging Rukia tighter, trying to conquer his rampant fear by confiding in her. Without her eyes open, her smile, or her voice...The effect was nil. Ichigo stared up at his worst fear, the physical embodiment of evil and tried to think up a plan. How would anyone survive now that Taru and Aizen were in the same place? Taru may be wounded but with Aizen by his side neither would fall, not with everyone suffocating on the tar rotting their insides.

"Kurosaki." A cold, stern voice echoed behind him. Ichigo didn't look up until he felt comforting hands rest on his shoulder. Fourth squad captain Unohana kneeled down beside him and held a hand out in front of him. The one who spoke stood behind her, his cold-hearted stare unmistakeable.

"Byakuya..."

"Kurosaki. You must follow Aizen. You were the only one who defeated him before...Only you can stop him once again. I will protect Rukia and slay this crippled insect who dared to harm my sister."

"But-"

Byakuya raised a hand and silenced him. "Unohana will heal you. You must follow Aizen and make sure he never lays a hand on the King of Soul Society."

"What?" Ichigo asked. "I thought he needed the royal key to find him?"

Byakuya's expression was grave. "I am sorry...Karakura town is no more. Aizen has succeeded in creating the Oken and if he activates it he could very well destroy all of Soul Society in one fell swoop. Make haste Kurosaki."

Ichigo placed his hands on the sides of his head. "Karakura is...No...It can't be..."

Unohana leaned back and patted Ichigo's shoulder. "You must hurry."

Ichigo started rise when he laid eyes upon Rukia. "No." Both captains stared at him dumbfounded. "I want Rukia to be my side. I will not abandon her ever again!"

"Ichigo you fool-" Byakuya was cut short as Ichigo pointed his sword at his throat.

"This may be my last time to ever see her face...I've had my nine lives already...If this is to be my last time then I want to have her beside me...So I...I can thank her for all she has done." He bowed his head and sighed. "Also...Rukia...She is all I have now. She is my reason to fight. I need her to give me strength. It is not too much to ask...So please..."

Byakuya frowned. "Very well. Unohana, heal her quickly."

"Yes" She nodded knowingly and placed a glowing hand on Rukia's heart.

Ichigo watched as Rukia's eyes slowly fluttered open. She gazed up at Ichigo and a weak smile appeared. Ichigo cradled her in his arms and started walking towards the white tear in the sky. He glanced over his shoulder at Byakuya. "If I don't make it back to finish Taru off...Make sure you make him suffer for everything he has done to me."

Byakuya bowed. "Very well. Good luck."

"Thanks." Ichigo tightened his grip on Rukia and leapt up into the air, flash-stepping towards the rip. When he reached it he set Rukia down and together they walked through into the light.

* * *

Captain Shunsui Kyouraku fought valiantly against Yami. The two were on par with each other. Kyouraku would normally have had the advantage in such a battle, but his wounds from his encounter with Kage had left him weakened. Also, he could feel the tar settling within, smothering his lungs and heart, cutting off airways slowly but surely. Taru's cruel tactics would soon bring about an end to all of Soul Society if he was not stopped soon. However, that was none of his concern right now. All that mattered was that he defeated Yami.

The young girl thrust her bladed forearms towards her foe. The captain ducked under the first and swatted the second aside with his blade. He then drove his shoulder into her centre mass and sent her stumbling backwards. He followed through by jabbing at her throat. She whirled out of harms way to avoid a fatal wound but his sword did graze her shoulder. Bright blood oozed down her charcoal black flesh. She stared at it in puzzlement for a moment and then glared at him.

"That hurt...I'm going to have to repay you for this!" She rushed toward him and thrust her knee into his gut. As the captain doubled over she threw a vicious uppercut, the blade on her arm penetrating his stomach and protruding from his back. His blood splashed out onto her face and she licked it up with a giggle of fiendish delight. "That should do it." She wrenched the blade out and left him to drop to the floor. "Now, where was that 3rd seat girl? I've got unfinished business with her."

As she made to stroll off something caught her leg. She felt bony fingers clenching around her ankle. She glanced down at the fallen captain and frowned. "Still going huh? Well that's too bad. I would have let you go if you had just played dead." She stomped on his wrist and his fingers unfurled themselves.

Yami reverted back to her usual state and took up her sword. "I don't need to waste my ressureccion on a dead dog." She grinned devilishly and kicked him in the ribs. The captain lay still, even though his ragged breathing could still be heard. She left him for dead and returned to Kiyone's bedside.

The poor blonde girl whimpered pitifully as Yami closed in on her. She tried to crawl away but she was trapped in her bed, unable to move any further. Yami reached out and grabbed her by the hair. Kiyone cried out but was silenced by a harsh slap to the face. The force left her cheek bruised and bloody.

"I bet you want the pain to go away? Well I can help with that. But first I want to hear you scream!" Yami burst out laughing as she threw Kiyone to the floor. The poor girl tried to get up but her pursuer grabbed the back of her head and smashed her face into the floor. "Bring back memories huh? How does it feel to have your skull break apart? Does it hurt? Does it make you cry?" Yami's eyes were glowing with pure madness.

Kiyone was starting to black out when she was dropped. She gazed up at Yami with one eye, the other forcefully closed from an agonising splinter. She tried to beg for mercy but only an eruption of crimson spittle flung out from her shattered teeth.

Yami raised her sword high and prepared for the finishing blow. "You know what? I'm feeling generous. I might just finish you off now and put you out of your misery. How about I crack open that little head of yours and see what's inside?"

The insane beast howled like a banshee and laughed, but her joy was soon extinguished when her sword arm collapsed to the ground beside her, detached from the shoulder.

Her jaw dropped and for a moment she just stared at the stump on her side which spurted out blood in a hideous fountain. In the very next instant she screamed. She clutched at the ragged wound and cried out hysterically. Behind her, an old rival stood guard. Yami stared at him and in the instant she saw him her eyes widened.

"Y-You! I thought Taru killed you?"

The grey-haired warrior glared back at her, raw hatred burning within his eyes. "You underestimated us shinigami. That is why you will die here!"

"N-No! Stay back or I will snap the girl's neck!" Yami reached out with her one good arm and placed Kiyone in a stranglehold. She tightened her grip until Kiyone went pale. Yami gritted her teeth and tried desperately to calm herself down, but it did not work.

The warrior strolled towards her casually, fearlessly. "I have failed too many people. I have let far too many die. I draw the line here. I will not fail anymore!" He crossed his two hooked swords and admired their shining reflection in the darkness. "Die like your wretched brethren and rot forever in the underworld."

"No! Come any closer and I'll kill the girl! You want to protect her right? Then walk back out that door and stay away!" Yami's voice was cracking from panic.

"Kiyone..." The girl in question looked up dazedly at the captain and a weak smile crossed her face. Her captain bowed his head and whispered sombrely, "I am sorry, but this will hurt."

Yami snarled attempted to snap her neck, but before she could one of the swords soared through the air and impaled both Yami and her human shield. The warrior then gripped the chord which joined the two blades and wrenched it back, yanking the blade out from his foe. By the time he caught his blade Yami had fallen forward on her stomach and was clawing at the ground, wheezing raggedly. She glared up her rival and cursed, spewing forth a torrent of blood.

"D-Damn..." She tried to push herself up from the ground but before long she flopped back to the ground and went still. She moaned pitifully and curled up in a ball as her life drained away.

The warrior stepped over her and cradled Kiyone in his arms. He studied the gaping wound in her side and frowned. "I'm sorry but this was the only way..." Kiyone clasped one hand weakly around her captain's collar and whispered ever so softly.

"Ukitake...Welcome back..." With that her eyes closed and she fell unconscious.

Ukitake called out those in the fourth squad still standing and ordered them to heal both Kiyone and captain Kyouraku. When the infirmary recommenced its operations he strolled back outside, to the battlefield to avenge the fallen in both Karakura and Soul Society and reclaim his honour.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia stepped through the light and found Aizen waiting expectantly, a venomous smile affixed to his pale face.

"Hello Ichigo, Rukia. I'm glad you came to join me. I see it most fitting you accompany me...It was your efforts that helped make this all happen."

Ichigo clenched his fists. "Aizen! You destroyed Karakura and shattered the life I once had. I will never let you get away with this! I will kill you!" He took up his sword and assumed a fighting stance. "Face me for the final time!"

Aizen chuckled and waved around the Oken. "I'm sorry Ichigo, but this is not the ideal battleground for such a confrontation. This battle is one to decide the fate of the heavens...So let us test our might in the domain of the gods!"

Aizen took out the key and stabbed into the vacant air before him. He then turned it into the invisible lock and waited. The sound of thunder assaulted their ears but Aizen appeared unperturbed by the tremors that ensued around them. The key suddenly unleashed a large cloud of what appeared to be reishi, but on closer inspection were actually the souls of everyone lost within Karakura. Every single innocent soul wailed mournfully as they were released into the air. They swarmed around the trio and then started to mould together in a large, screaming mass nearby. The screaming got louder and more urgent as the souls melded into one another, their collective cries soon mixing together into an unholy distorted roar. The noise was unbearable but it did not last much longer. The souls melded together and soon materialized into a larger, royal senkai gate.

Aizen grinned. "Let us go. Let us decide our fate from atop the heavens." He stepped through without a moment's hesitation, leaving Ichigo and Rukia to run after him. The gate closed behind them and disintegrated.


	29. Gods of Death

_**29...Gods of Death**_

Ichigo and Rukia passed through the royal senkai gate and found themselves in something similar to the Dangai, however instead of hideous melting walls this was a brightly decorated hall, lined with portraits of all of Soul Society's captains. Ichigo passed portraits of Urahara and his father. They brought on chills but he fought them back and continued to wander up the hall, Rukia close beside him.

The hall was seemingly endless but eventually they reached the end, a great iron door sealed behind a steel lattice. Aizen was standing there with an arrogant smirk.

"The royal palace is much better guarded than Sereitei. The only way to escape this world is to use the Oken. That is to ensure that even if by some mysterious accident someone or something manages to find itself here and tries to get in, they will never escape. Without the key the intruder will be forever trapped here until the cleaners devour him." Aizen held out the palm of his hand and the key materialized once again, wailing like a starving child. He stuck it in the lock and twisted.

A loud metal clank startled the trio and the great lattice rose automatically. Aizen chuckled to himself and pushed the door open, leading them all into a great courtyard. Patterned tiles spread across the ground and high walls towered over them. This truly was a palace. Great flags were hoisted around the walls, fluttering carelessly in the breeze. Behind the walls the looming presence of the great castle cast its shadow over the land.

"This, my young friends, is the Royal palace. The King of Soul Society resides here. Within that great castle is the cornerstone of Soul Society's existence and its inevitable downfall. He created the realms of the afterlife and just as he lives and breathes, so does his creation. When I slay him Soul Society will be brought to its knees and all will kneel before their new King." Aizen's smile was deeply unsettling, a hideous mockery of the human emotion of happiness.

Ichigo drew his sword and took up a fighting stance, his eyes blazing with determination. "Sorry Aizen, but I won't let you go any further."

Aizen merely laughed at his threat. "Now, now Kurosaki Ichigo. I would have thought you could have understood by now...You cannot stop me."

"I will stop you!" Ichigo roared. "I have to!"

"You poor deluded child. Your needs are nothing more than wants in the eyes of the Hogyoku. I am so close to fulfilling my desires and the Hogyoku will not allow anyone to interfere. You are far too late now." Aizen laughed madly, not caring to notice Ichigo flash step behind him and slide his blade up against his throat. He smiled at Ichigo. "You are fooling yourself if you think such child-like actions will scare me. I have no need to be afraid of you. You are nothing but an insect."

Ichigo smirked. "You don't think I can stop you? I've done it before!"

"True, but you failed to kill me and you only succeeded because Kisuke Urahara intervened. Without his tricks you are unable to defeat me."

"I doubt it!" Ichigo sliced deep into Aizen's throat, sending bright torrents of blood out across the courtyard. Aizen remained stock still and after a brief spell of rigor mortis he began to relax again and laughed maniacally.

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as Aizen merely gazed at him. An unseen force threw him far across the courtyard and into the wall. Aizen strolled confidently towards him with look of triumph on his face.

"Do you see now? You are unable to kill me. I feel no pain as your sword cuts through me. The Hogyoku ensures I survive to see my wishes fulfilled. If I willed it, the Hogyoku could make your heart stop beating and tear the flesh from your bones in the blink of an eye, but where is the fun in that? You have been a most impressive research subject and I wish to finish you off myself."

Aizen vanished into thin air and suddenly materialized over Ichigo, standing over him just so he could look down upon the lowly opponent. Ichigo rolled aside just as Aizen's sword pierced the ground. He quickly rolled into a crouch and sliced at his feet but Aizen merely blocked it with the flat of his blade. Ichigo rebounded off of the strike and swung at his opposite side but Aizen merely swatted the sword away with his bare hand as if it were nothing more than a fly.

Ichigo tried to move away but Aizen thrust his sword deep into Ichigo's left shoulder, severing the nerves there and making it go completely limp. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he wanted to cry out in pain but Aizen knocked him down with a powerful kick t the chest.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried, taking up her sword and rushing towards him.

Ichigo raised his head to look at her and roared, "Stay back!"

Rukia kept on running.

"Rukia! Stay back! I won't lose you too!" The desperation and pain in his voice halted her advance and she came to a stop and lowered her sword. She bowed her head and watched on helplessly.

"A wise decision," Aizen murmured to his pinned opponent, "If you had let her come any closer the Hogyoku would have turned her to ash. You see I feel terrible for Miss Kuchiki's troubles but if she were to tread on my dreams then she would have to be destroyed, regardless."

"Shut up!" Ichigo hacked at Aizen's centre mass, but he stepped back in time to only receive a little scratch. Ichigo struggled to rise and used his sword as a support while he climbed up onto his feet. "You bastard! Why are you doing this? What did any of these people ever do to you?"

Aizen just stood there, smiling arrogantly.

"Answer me!" The fiery youth demanded. "You are going to destroy everything! You have killed countless innocent people and many more will die if you succeed. But what is it all for? Why are you so intent on destroying this world?"

Aizen stared straight into Ichigo's eyes and answered flatly, "Because it is not mine."

Ichigo's jaw dropped and he staggered back a few steps. "W-What?"

"This world is not mine, thus it is unsuitable for one with such power. Therefore, I must conquer it and reshape the world in my way as any rightful ruler should."

"Rightful ruler?" Ichigo asked, disgusted.

"Of course. Surely you've learned of the past. Those with too much power and not enough to rule would expand their territory to suit their strength. Great leaders conquered entire nations to better suit their ability. Those warriors were merely mortals but one such as me...Immortal and so immensely strong must claim more than just a land and its people. I must claim their world and also the realms of the heavens. For none are stronger than me and none ever shall be...That is why I must claim inherit everything I deserve even if it is by force."

Ichigo charged at Aizen, roaring like an untamed beast. He hacked down through Aizen's shoulder and all the way down to the hip on the opposite side giving him a sash of spilled blood. "You monster! Are you so blinded by greed that you would place everyone's lives at risk?"

Aizen sluggishly swung his sword at his foe but Ichigo ducked under it and buried his blade in Aizen's stomach. He then twisted it and wrenched it upwards, towards the empty area which would have harboured a heart.

"You think because you are stronger than them that their lives mean nothing? That they don't matter?"

Aizen grabbed Ichigo by the throat and threw him away but Ichigo caught himself and rushed up once more to face him.

"You think you are better than those poor people you sacrificed? You are nothing! Nothing!" Ichigo and Aizen crossed swords but Ichigo managed to break the deadlock and kicked Aizen full in the face, sending him staggering backwards. "You are empty inside, nothing but a hollow shell! You lack the one thing a true ruler needs...A heart!"

Aizen pointed at Ichigo and two great balls of blue fire erupted around him. Just as the smoke began to clear Aizen thrust a palm out towards him and a great pillar of electrical energy burst forth and collided with the young shinigami, resulting in a mighty explosion that tore through the courtyard and rendered it a wasteland.

"A heart? That is the weakness of mere mortals! When a heart stops beating the person will die. But to be immortal you must destroy the damned thing and only then can you become truly strong! If you have no heart then there is nothing to drag you down into the realm of death. You see that is why Soul Society is doomed. The King of Soul Society is in essence the heart of all Soul Society. When it stops beating they will all fall. Because of this fatal flaw they are not worthy to be ruled by me and therefore must be eliminated."

"Worthy?" Ichigo rasped. "You are an egomaniacal monster. You yourself aren't worthy to lead, let alone decide the fate of others!"

Aizen scowled. "You dare defy a god? You insolence is becoming irritating. I'm afraid I have no more time to waste on mindless children. Prepare to die Ichigo. It is a shame you were not willing to secede to the greater good. I could have given you powers beyond anything you could imagine, but now you will not be able to see the grand paradise I am to create. Now you will just rot with the rest of the scum from Karakura!"

The smoke and dust clouds parted to reveal the bloodied young warrior. Ichigo raised his sword high and roared the battle cry of an entire army, flames of wrath burning within his eyes, an aura of blazing darkness surrounding him.

"AIZEN!" Ichigo raced across the ruined battlefield and clashed with his greatest opponent, creating a cataclysmic explosion and sending a rain of sparks which showered down upon all of the Royal courtyard.

Rukia shielded herself from the blast and had to move to escape the fearsome reiatsu of the two warriors. She covered her mouth with her trembling, white-knuckled hands and fearfully observed the onslaught.

_Please...Ichigo...Please don't die..._

Ichigo was thrown back by a fierce strike from his foe and without a free hand it was hard to steady himself. He stumbled back and fell, but used the momentum to roll back into a crouch from which he launched himself. He brought his sword down with incredible force and leapt back to a safe distance before Aizen could counter. As the smoke and dust billowed around them Ichigo took the chance to hook his fingers across the left hand side of his face. He then dragged them down over his face, leaving in their wake a mask like a hollow, only this one was different form his former mask...Great horns protruded from his skull and his hair grew longer. The red striped ran down over each eye and down to either side of his fanged jaws. He opened his cavernous maw wide and unleashed a mighty howl of rage.

"Hollowfication...You would never have been able to do so without my guidance. You wish to kill me using the powers I gave you? How foolish!" Aizen charged but Ichigo vanished instantly, appearing behind him and slicing into his back. Aizen whirled around and knocked him back but Ichigo countered with amazing speed and attacked from behind once again. Aizen cursed and flash stepped high up into the air. Ichigo followed, this time attacking head on. He raised his own good hand high in the air and roared. Aizen smirked and with lightning speed drove his sword right through Ichigo's heart. His hands became warm with the crimson elixir spilling down over him. He relished in the bloodshed and laughed.

However Ichigo would not be beaten so easily. With a cry lost somewhere between the unintelligible roar of a hollow and the anguished scream of a man Ichigo brought his blade straight down, hitting Aizen full in the chest and sending him straight into the ground below, soaring like a comet down to earth where he smashed into the ground with a jarring eruption of dust and cracked stone. Aizen's sword remained embedded in Ichigo's body and he slowly began to descend, but halfway down he merely free-fell until he to hit the ground with a thunderous impact.

"Ichigo!" This time Rukia could not hold back. She ran over to him and cradled the wounded boy. His mask had crumbled to dust and his pained expression was clear to see. Rukia hugged him and sobbed. "Ichigo...You don't have to keep getting hurt for me...You don't have to push yourself so hard..."

Ichigo coughed violently, spewing blood onto Rukia's lap. She wiped the scarlet trail oozing from the corner of his mouth and gazed deep into his eyes. "Ichigo..." She tended to his wounds as best she could, all the while weeping softly, and stopping intermittently to wipe away her tears.

"Ru...Kia..." The wounded shinigami moaned. He reached up to her and placed a hand on her cheek.

It was cold, so very cold but Rukia endured. She placed her own hand over his and sighed. How she had longed for his touch for so long. Ever since they lost contact, every day and night she yearned to once again feel him...Now it felt like the pain of the world had gone away, extinguished behind his kind amber eyes and gentle smile. Rukia had never felt like this before. Her adoration and passion had increased a hundredfold. Her heart screamed for her to tell him the truth...To confess what she had hidden from him for so long...

Deep down she knew it was time. Damnation was not far away and there may never be another chance to be together. Death could very well tear them apart and never again would she be able set her gaze upon him or ever again feel his gentle touch. Never again would she hear his soothing voice...Never again would she ever feel this burning, yet wonderful sensation in her heart and soul. She could conceal her secret no longer. She had to say it now!

"Ichigo...I...I always..."

"Love you..." Ichigo whispered faintly.

Rukia leaned in closer, unable to hear him over the incessant pounding of her own heart. "What?"

"I...Love...You..." Ichigo said softly, his voice weak.

Rukia felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes. "Ichigo..." A frail hand wiped away her tears and Ichigo smiled.

"No...Tears..." He coughed. "Aren't you supposed to...Say you love me too?" Rukia frowned. Ichigo tried to laugh but instead a pained choking noise escaped his bloody lips. "That's what happens...In fairy tales right?"

Rukia wept uncontrollably. She clutched him tight and whispered between sobs, "Oh Ichigo...I've always loved you. You've been the flame that blazed on through the darkness around us. And in keeping that flame alive...You warmed my heart. Now my heart burns..."

Ichigo closed his eyes and coughed again. "I wish...I was good at poetry...You've made me look bad." He laughed weakly and Rukia joined him. The two sighed and Ichigo caressed her back as he gazed deep into her eyes. "You're everything to me...My reason...For living...And...To fight. You are more important than the world itself...And I swear...I will...Protect you."

Ichigo leaned towards her and Rukia leaned in closer as well. The two drifted ever closer until their lips were almost touching. They closed their eyes and both felt their hearts beat faster and faster in anticipation for the moment they had both dreamed of during those painful nights alone. The war and the agony were for a moment forgotten as their minds focused solely on this moment of passion. They were barely a hair's breadth from each other and they could hear each other's racing hearts now. They embraced each other and-

_**"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"**_

Aizen emerged from the rubble, soaked in blood, covered in scars and a look of unimaginable rage and hatred in his monstrous eyes. He vanished from the rubble and reappeared above them, his sword poised to destroy them and their ill-fated attachment. They stared in horror at the terrifying display and the blade of fate crashing down upon them...


	30. Eclipse

_**30...Eclipse**_

A roar the likes of which had never been heard before shook the mighty stone walls of the Royal Palace. The great looming castle trembled and the ground cracked as Aizen's body was enveloped in a blazing aura which tore apart the air itself. His eyes, far from human were as dark as the pit of his empty soul and his usually calm, arrogant exterior had been stripped away to reveal nothing but pure rage...Animalistic, furious and wild.

The two young shinigami both raised their heads at the ear-splitting roar but by then Aizen was already upon them, his sword raised and ready to crush them. The blade seemed to be glowing as the burning reishi around it intensified. The two warriors could feel the insane heat emanating from it and at once they panicked.

Aizen roared again, letting out his anger to fuel his murderous passion. The sword in his rigid hands crashed down upon the two opponents and the sound of a worldwide earthquake erupted from the impact. Clouds of dust were thrown up into the air, settling in great pillars. The ground split and fell apart as if it were as fragile as a sheet of ice. Chunks of debris were hurled about, tearing the walls of the courtyard apart and rendering the area an inhospitable wasteland.

Aizen laughed manically, relishing in the destruction he had caused. Such was the power of a god. He could bring the entire castle down with one flick of his sword. He could rip the sky apart with his bare hands! He would destroy all who stood before him!

The dust thinned out and two silhouettes crept forth from behind them. Aizen scowled and watched on as his two foes were revealed. Both Ichigo and Rukia had raised their swords, forming an 'X' beneath Aizen's very own weapon. With their combined efforts they had survived...

Aizen snarled at them and swiped at them. The two both jumped back out of his reach and assumed battle stances. "Quite clever," He rasped, "You combined your reiatsu to survive my strike. You are worthy enough to die by my hand...But not worthy enough to defeat me. I am a god. I am unstoppable. You may be able to knock me down, but the wrathful vengeance of an angry god will strike you down. You shall have the honour of being slain by God!"

Ichigo sneered at him, only angering the furious warrior more. "God? You still believe in all that crap? I told you before, you are nothing! God is merely an invention of mankind to explain what we don't understand. But in the end everything in life is decided by man alone...And what drives a man is his heart..."

"Nonsense!" Aizen roared. "Without a leader, man is powerless to wander aimlessly. Those with power are above his fellow mortal slaves and entitled to the heavens! That makes him God!"

Ichigo charged at Aizen, slamming his blade down upon Aizen's own sword. "A fool in Heaven is still a fool Aizen!"

"You insolent wretch! Be gone!" Aizen kicked Ichigo full in the chest and sent him hurtling across the battlefield. He collided with one of the crumbling walls and was buried beneath it. Aizen glared at where the boy lay. "You mistake greed for ambition and delusion for truth. You are blind to the true workings of this world. Everyone and everything you have ever known has been commanded by the King of Soul Society! When I slay that worthless beast I will command everything that ever has and ever will exist. If you are unable to process such unimaginable power then that is your problem. If you see gold and claim it to be rock it shall not stop me from seizing it! Soon enough you shall know your place! Soon you will feel the wrath of an immortal!"

"Shut up!" Rukia screamed, driving her blade into Aizen's side. The wicked demon set his gaze upon her and instantly she shivered, but she still stood her ground. "You don't understand...You never will..."

"You pathetic little parasite. How dare you mock me?" Aizen's chest suddenly glowed and the Hogyoku seemed to buzz with energy. In the blink of an eye Rukia was struck by a blast of energy and sent tumbling away from him, landing in a heap several metres away. "Worthless..." Aizen snarled. He drew Rukia's blade from his side and threw it to the ground. He then studied the blood on his hands and scowled. "It is time..." He set off towards the castle.

"Wait!" Ichigo demanded, clawing his way out of the rubble. "Come back here!"

Aizen ignored him and flash-stepped up on top of one of the fractured walls. As soon as his feet touched ground the entire wall broke apart, as if exploding from the inside. A great cloud of dust and mortar was sent forth, concealing the terrible villain as he continued on his way to the castle.

Ichigo stumbled over to his wounded companion and helped her up. Together they stared up at the castle and then to each other. With a grave nod they both set out in pursuit. They could only use Shunpo for so long until they were weary and exhausted. By the time they reached the entrance to the castle they found dead guards littered around it, their bodies torn apart by nothing else but a monster.

They fearfully stepped inside, only to find more of the royal guards very much dead. The horrific trail of death and destruction continued far inside the castle's walls. They headed up and trailed Aizen, eventually catching him in a large vacant room halfway up. From the open spaces in the wall, the strong breeze surged through and clouds floated past, so close that you could reach out and feel them.

Aizen stopped and turned around to face his pursuers, an indifferent frown upon his face. "You have managed to keep up with me. I would have preferred to have finished this before returning to such irritating concerns, but I guess I should finish you off before finally achieving my dream."

"What you have isn't a dream!" Ichigo growled, "You are merely hungry for power."

Aizen smirked, "Indeed."

Ichigo stepped forward and held his sword out in an offensive stance. "A dream can only come from the heart. My dream...Was to protect everyone I cared for...Protect them from the pain I had felt..." Ichigo bowed his head and gritted his teeth, "But you...You spat all over my dream and tore my life apart just to satisfy your curiosity! For no good reason you made countless people suffer! You shattered not only my dream but those of everyone you have hurt in your pitiful crusade for absolutely nothing!" Ichigo knew there were tears streaming from his eyes but he ignored them, not wanting to lose his focus, not when Aizen had become such a threat, not when the entire world was hanging in the balance.

Aizen grinned at the display of weakness and decided to break his young foe like he had always done before. "Your dream was merely a stepping stone towards the heavens. You were born for me to walk over, as were all the others."

"How dare you!" Ichigo roared, charging head on. The Hogyoku spat out another blast of energy but Ichigo rolled aside out of its path. He rolled into a crouch and pushed himself forward into a full tilt sprint towards his opponent. With sword raised, heart pounding and anger blazing within him, Ichigo struck Aizen with everything he had. The tow blades collided in a blinding shower of sparks and a shockwave surged outward from the impact, tearing apart the foundations of the castle and bringing it down. The great castle fell apart and it's upper half toppled over. The lower half barely managed to hold itself together and the upper flors caved in, leaving Aizen, Ichigo and Rukia to plummet several storeys down until they hit a solid floor.

Without a moment's hesitation Ichigo and Aizen rushed to attack each other, launching yet another offensive. Ichigo swung wildly, his hatred for the despicable warrior rising with every second he remained standing. With every smug smile and taunt Ichigo was merely spurred on further, inciting his rage until it boiled over into uncontrollable fury. The boy hollowfied and his attacks became even more frenzied, his movements erratic and crazed. Aizen fought on, not allowing the Kurosaki boy to land a fatal blow on him, although he did manage to inflict some vicious wounds upon the so-called 'God'.

Rukia watched on in stunned silence. Ichigo's power had grown immensely since she was parted from him. Just what had happened to make Ichigo like this? Why was his power so awe-inspiring? Was this strength within him the whole time? Or was it a result of his tragic circumstances? Rukia could only come up with more questions but never any answers. Another question which struck her often was this: "Why am I not fighting with him?"

_No! This is not my fight...This is a fight...For Ichigo's honour..._

The words that Ukitake had said back on that fateful night, the night she murdered her closest friend. They had struck her and forever since she had learned her lesson. She knew now why Ichigo pushed himself so hard. She knew now why Ichigo was so determined and why he was suddenly fighting with the strength of a hundred men...His honour had been wounded and Ichigo was seeking vengeance. Like a man possessed, Ichigo would hunt Aizen endlessly until he was sure that the despicable demon was dead. Rukia had little choice but to let them fight.

Ichigo's frenzied offensive ended with a cataclysmic downward slice which shattered the ground beneath him and forced the castle to only fall apart more. As the walls crashed down around them it soon became apparent that the two warriors were far too strong. The two opponents were each unimaginably powerful and their duelling reiatsu was destroying the land around them. The royal palace was in ruins and the courtyard was reduced to a giant crater. The immense power clash could not go on for much longer; otherwise this world could fall apart.

Ichigo swung towards his foe but Aizen caught his sword arm and drove his shoulder into his centre mass. Ichigo stepped back and Aizen ran his blade up from his hip to his shoulder. Ichigo only just managed to avoid a fatal wound but the thin red line still stung like acid. Ichigo ducked under an overhead slice and countered with a swift thrust. Aizen sidestepped and brought his sword down on Ichigo's back, knocking him to the ground and dealing a nasty wound. Ichigo crawled to his feet but Aizen followed with blinding speed and kicked the boy back down. He kicked him again and again and threw him into a wall. Before he could get up Aizen drove his blade down through his gut and into the ground.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried, barely able to hold herself back.

Aizen twisted his blade in the boy's stomach and revealed one of his hideous smiles. "Do you understand now? You are unable to stop me. How long will it take until you accept your weakness and bow down to your king?"

Ichigo reached out with a shaking hand. "Never..." He rasped, blood seeping from between his gritted teeth and running down his chin.

"Ichigo!" Rukia ran down, ignoring honour and pride and all those things. No matter how many times she remembered that night, she still couldn't ignore her heart. It screamed for her to fight! To save the one she adored. Now that she had admitted her feelings, she couldn't bring herself to watch him die. Now she wanted to protect him, the way he had protected her all those times.

Aizen looked up at her with a bored expression. He didn't see her as a threat at all. In fact he wouldn't have even looked at her if she wasn't crying out hysterically. As she neared him she raised her sword and screamed. Aizen did not even reach for his sword. In fact he reached for hers...

Her blade landed right in the palm of his hand. Rukia stared at it in shock and leapt back to a safe distance, preparing to strike again.

"You poor deluded child," Aizen murmured, "You still think you can save your little knight in shining armour? Oh how the heart dulls the mind...And the blade." He added with a smirk. "Your adoration is placed in the hands of an incapable fool. You believed Ichigo had protected you all those times? Bah! It was I who allowed him to protect you!"

Rukia faltered, her knees shaking. "Y-You're wrong! Ichigo has always been there for me!"

"Are you so sure?" Aizen asked, his voice dripping with venom. "I've told you, your entire life has been played into my hands, as with Ichigo Kurosaki. You have been pawns for your whole existence. Your love is based upon deceit and betrayal. Your love was my creation!"

"NO!" Rukia charged at him head on. She brought her weapon down but before it could reach Aizen the glistening white blade disappeared, leaving only a handle and a delicate white ribbon. Rukia was too stunned to react and she did not see Aizen's own blade arcing across her body, slicing right across her mid-section and leaving a shower of bright gushing blood. Rukia's eyes went wide and her lips quivered. She dropped down to her knees and let go of her sword. "Y-You're...Wrong..." She stared down at the gash in her chest and then to Ichigo. She tried to reach out to him but once again he was out of her reach...Once again she could see him but not feel him. Once again she felt alone...Terribly so...She was cold, very cold and she found it hard to breathe. She felt tears gushing from her eyes and they clouded her vision. They stung her cheeks and she cried out in frustration and agony, releasing all of the pain in one last tortured scream.

Ichigo watched on, powerless. He tried to stand but he only fell forward onto his face. He crawled towards her but Aizen stood between them. "Your life has been nothing but a pathetic lie. Your emotions were merely false creations of your manipulated subconscious. I made you into a fine warrior...And I am proud to have been the one to destroy you. But your death is not yet at hand...Not until I destroy the King of Soul Society. You are not yet broken until your very world is taken away from you...And that little whore shall be gone in time as well."

"Bastard!" Ichigo snarled. He rose into a crouch and steadied himself with his sword. He stumbled forward but caught himself and strode on towards his greatest foe. He raised his sword and sent it crashing down upon Aizen...But the man had vanished. Ichigo couldn't control his balance and fell forward on his face, right beside Rukia. He dragged himself over to her and cradled her quivering frame.

"R-Rukia? Hold on...Please..."

The enchanting young girl opened her eyes half way and gazed at her beloved hero. "Ichigo...I...I'm cold..."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he embraced her, holding her tight. "No! No! Please don't! Stay with me!"

Rukia's eyes were gliding shut with every laboured breath. Her muscles were beginning to relax and Ichigo could feel her going limp. He shook her by the shoulders and roared at her, "Rukia! Open you eyes! Speak to me! Please speak to me!" She did not answer with words; instead she clasped her hands around those of her dear friend and lifted her head a little. Ichigo leaned in close and their lips touched, ever so softly. Ichigo kissed her softly but he could not feel her embrace anymore. Her hands slid from around his own and fell by her sides. Her deep blue eyes went blank and her head rolled back.

Ichigo watched a stray tear roll down from her eyes and he lovingly stroked her cheek, wiping it away. He stared sombrely at her serene expression and sat back. He looked up to the clouds and took a deep breath before unleashing the most pained of cries, like a mighty lion without his pride, like a wolf who had lost his pack, like a warrior without his sword...Like a man with nothing left to live for...

And from atop the ruins of the castle Aizen grinned wickedly.

Without the light from the shining White Moon, there is only darkness…


	31. Armageddon

Despite being my birthday, I'm feeling generous and so I shall give you the next chapter which you have been waiting for. Enjoy!

**31...Armageddon**

Ichigo cradled his silent, cold love. He gazed down at her relaxed features, her perfect calmness. Her lifeless form was frozen like ice and Ichigo felt terrible chills aching through his body. He forced himself to hold her, to keep her with him. He couldn't bring himself to abandon her, even if she was no longer with him. He cursed under his breath and rested his head against hers. Slowly, he nuzzled her forehead, letting his tears glide down. He knew Aizen was laughing at him. He could hear it, but it meant nothing to him now. Ichigo was too absorbed in the death of his world...The eclipse of the White Moon.

"Rukia...It was too soon...There was so much-" He stopped to sniff, "So much I didn't tell you...So much I wanted to do...Why? Why did it have to end now?" Ichigo clutched her to his chest and roared, "Why?"

"You no longer have any burdens to weigh you down Ichigo. Now you are just like me." Aizen smirked. "You have nothing but your desire to see everything else around you crumble or become yours."

Ichigo let out a furious, insane roar. "AIZEN!" He placed Rukia down and took up his sword. "How dare you compare me to someone as despicable as you! You've taken everything from me! So now I will make sure that your twisted dream dies with you!"

Aizen drew his sword and grinned. "Rage has consumed his soul...How wonderful..."

Ichigo kissed Rukia's pale cheek and whispered in her ear, "I will come back...I promise." Then he set off, scaling the ruins of the castle to catch Aizen. But the villain was not waiting for him. Instead he dropped down through the cracked floor. Ichigo followed, snarling like a wolf over a wounded deer. He was dripping with rage, his eyes burning with contempt so strong that it created a dark aura around him and his sword, Tensa Zangetsu, the colour of night itself.

Aizen reached a large gate at the bottom of the castle, so deep that light struggled to reach them. The shattered remnants of the palace loomed far above them, faint slivers of sunlight streaking down, so dull they barely counted as light.

Aizen hacked away at the door and it crumbled beneath the powerful slash of his blade. Ichigo landed in a crouch behind him and charged but Aizen stepped to one side and allowed Ichigo to rush forth into the sealed room. He stumbled and fell onto one knee at the base of a large pit in the centre of the massive room.

Ichigo stared down into what appeared to be a pit of lava, above which remained a large circular platform connected to the outer edge of the pit by two sloped bridges on either side. The ocean of lava spat out bursts of searing flames and streams of it spewed forth from statues on the outer edge, shaped like hollows.

"Wha...What is this?" Ichigo asked, his rage subsiding behind a veil of confusion.

Aizen flash stepped past him and onto one of the ramps. He placed a hand on one of the hollow statues and studied its intricate carving. "This is the domain of the King of Soul Society. Behold, that withering beast down there is the pillar which supports this world of yours. Look," Aizen pointed to something on the platform above the burning lake.

Ichigo squinted and then he saw it, an ancient old man, with flesh hanging off his bones like rags and silver hair strewn down to the ground and flowing around him like a waterfall. He sat hunched over something which looked like a mirror ball and he was chained to the platform. Hooks dug through his skin and the chains led to steel poles at the edge of the platform. It was sickening to watch but something so other-worldly powerful commanded Ichigo keep his gaze upon him. He couldn't look away from the poor old man and no matter how much he tried to speak his tongue seemed to be asleep.

"This, Kurosaki Ichigo...This is your god!" Aizen laughed and strolled towards him.

"Wait!" Ichigo yelled, stumbling after him. As he approached the King of Soul Society he realised just how horrific he was. The King's face looked devoid of flesh, his gums and teeth in full view, decaying to the point where his teeth were dark yellow and his gums the colour of soot. The areas where the hooks pierced his flesh were stretched beyond recognition, revealing bone and muscle tissue beneath. His eyes were even more lifeless than those of his beloved Rukia...They were grey...Empty and utterly dead.

"What the hell is this?" Ichigo whispered. When no-one answered him he repeated himself, screaming his question so that everyone in the endangered worlds could hear him. "What the hell is this?"

The old man did not move, though it seemed he was listening.

"This is it? This is your reason for killing all those people? You murdered my family, destroyed my town, my friends...Even Rukia...Just so you could find this...This...Thing?" Ichigo pointed an accusing finger at the King of Soul Society. "You wanted so desperately to destroy everything I ever loved just so you could become like this? Why? Why dammit why? Answer me!" Ichigo pointed his sword to Aizen who seemed unfazed by everything around him.

"I have already given my reasons. I wish to become the new King of Soul Society, to sculpt this revolting world into one of my own design. I feel no regrets for what I have done and there is no reason that I should."

"You bastard! You put everyone through so much pain just so you could become a disgusting monster like this?"

Aizen chuckled. "This 'disgusting monster' created everything you have ever known and ever will know. The realms of Soul Society, Hueco Mundo are all his creations, as are everything within them."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "You mean...Hollows, shinigami...They were created by-"

"Indeed. I was created by this pitiful creature, but now that I have surpassed him it is time to take my rightful place as King and create a world in which only the worthy shall take dominion. Those who are unfit will rot away and die and become nothing, just like your little princess, Rukia."

Ichigo charged at him and the two crossed swords in a blinding rain of sparks. The King seemed disinterested in them, instead gazing vacantly within the large orb which showed the realms of Hueco Mundo and Soul Society.

"When I take control, I will erase humanity and those filthy shinigami and leave only the chosen specimens. My Espada were merely a prototype of the perfect being, but I fell short of success. They were weak. I did not have the power to create the perfect beings, but with the power of a God...I will finally achieve what I have always dreamed of."

Ichigo pushed Aizen back and snarled at his foe. "I told you! I won't let you get away with this! I won't allow you to kill the King of Soul Society! I won't let any more innocent people suffer!" The two leapt back and rushed back to strike again, colliding with a fierce shockwave which splintered the edge of the platform and forced waves of lava to rise up from the molten lake.

"Innocence is an illusion. Those who are innocent are merely guilty of lacking direction. Men who are guilty are men who have followed their ambitions."

Ichigo was so disgusted he couldn't even find the words to respond. Aizen had become so insane, how he had managed to fool all of Soul Society for so long...How he had managed to seem so normal, so calm, yet beneath his calm exterior had burned a desire for death and destruction and ideas that were truly sickening. He was a creature of evil so pure Ichigo could barely comprehend it...Aizen definitely wasn't human...But he wasn't anything else he could describe either. Words like monster, demon and beast seemed unfit to describe him. They fell short of revealing the abominable creature he was.

"You are not innocent." Aizen whispered. "You were merely blind to your true ambitions. But now...Surely you can feel it? The desire, the need to seize this world and change it to your own machinations. Does it burn within you? Can you feel it Kurosaki Ichigo?" Aizen smiled, a smile so horribly distorted that Ichigo had to look away. "You and I," His voice was so unsettling and menacing that Ichigo felt chills throughout his body. He commanded himself to stare his foe in the eye but when he did he instantly regretted it. "We are both alike."

Ichigo backed away and gasped. "N-Never! I'm nothing like you!"

"Ah, but you are." Aizen raised a finger like a lecturing parent. "We are both now without anything but our dreams. We are both driven to the battlefield, for only through bloodshed can our fantasies become reality."

"No!" Ichigo shook his head fervently. "I am not a monster like you! I was merely trapped-"

"Trapped in a game that you grew to love. When Kuchiki Rukia granted you shinigami powers you instantly became fearless, unstoppable, furious. You became strong. Even though this new world frightened you, there was something gratifying about it. You longed to release your hatred of an unjust world upon faceless creatures. By slaughtering nameless, unidentifiable hollows you were able to channel your raging desire for violence behind a seemingly just cause. But in the end all you wanted was to fight. You merely wished to sink your teeth into someone...Something."

"Lies! I fought to protect the ones I loved!" Ichigo roared.

"Sure, sure. Try and rationalise it all you want, but it was a thirst for blood which drove you forward. Such excuses are merely a means to an end. It all came down to the battle itself. With a sword in your hand and your heart on your sleeve you felt you had purpose...But it was all a facade! Ever since your birth and even during your life as a shinigami your entire existence has been nothing but smoke and mirrors. You have not yet existed...Not until now."

Ichigo gritted his teeth and struck Aizen with his sword. The two tried to push the other back but it ended in a draw and both men leapt back to a safe distance, only to charge in for another deadlock. With their faces barely inches from one another the glared deep into the opponent's soul or lack thereof.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, now you have no lies to shield your weak mind. Now you have no chains holding you back. You are finally free to enjoy the bloodbath. Can you not feel it within you? That surging adrenaline coursing through your veins and that murderous gleam in your eye...Even with Rukia dead you are still enjoying this."

Ichigo unleashed a mighty battle-cry and slammed his blade down upon Aizen. He forced the villain down on one knee and thrust his shoulder into his centre-mass, knocking Aizen onto his back. From there Ichigo grabbed him by the throat and dragged him to the edge of the pit. There were flames of passion burning within the deep amber orbs from which Ichigo glared at his foe. "You dare to say such things? To insult me is one thing, but to insult the girl I loved with all my heart...That is too far! I won't allow such words to go unpunished! Die Aizen! Die and never return!" With a heave of effort Ichigo threw Aizen over the edge and down towards the lava.

Aizen grinned to himself and prepared to catch himself and return to the battlefield, but he did not expect Ichigo to hurl his sword like a spear, straight through the vacant abyss where his heart should be. Blood spurted out before his eyes and for once Aizen looked afraid. His jaw fell open and his eyes narrowed. He tried to speak but words failed him. He spent his final few seconds gazing up at the young Kurosaki boy...The one who had finally bested him. The boy who took down a god...

_Impossible! To be beaten like this? And so close? My dream...It is within my grasp! I cannot allow it to sift through my fingers like sand...Never! I am Aizen Sosuke! Warrior! Conqueror! GOD!_

Aizen hit the surface of the molten lake with a sickening splash and in an instant his body begun to break up, his skin melting from his bones like liquid and his bones turning to ash. He reached out to his greatest foe only to see his hand crumble and become thick sludgy soup. Then he felt the Hogyoku embedded within his chest. It was crying out, restless and angry. It glowed radiantly but Aizen's eyes no longer could see it. The heat was so intense that he was blinded for eternity as his face ran down the cracked bones of his skull and into the searing pool around him.

Ichigo stared at the white light as it expanded and then faded. When he was sure his deed was done he crawled away from the edge and looked down at his hands. He saw blood on his hands but he wasn't sure if it was really there. He shook his head and his hands were merely stained with dirt. He sighed and looked back down into the swirling pool of lava...The pool which was glowing once more. Ichigo stared at the surface, as a shadow spread and grew bigger and bigger, until at last a demon was birthed from the lake of Hell itself.

With withered, leathery flesh and a skeletal frame, Aizen burst forth and rose up to meet his foe. His skin was rippling as it melted and healed itself automatically in a continuous, sickening cycle. Eyes as black as coal burned with contempt and bony hands extended towards the boy, ready to choke the life out of him.

Ichigo had abandoned his sword and was now unarmed. Aizen hovered over him and the King of Soul Society who still had not looked up from his crystal orb. His ancient, worn hands still stroked its surface as lovingly as a mother to her child.

Aizen howled, his singed vocal cords barely able to form any coherent words. But the rage in his rasping tone was unmistakeable. The Hogyoku blazed with blinding white light which ran over his flesh and healed him further, piecing the man back together slowly but surely.

"N-No...You're still..."

"Hogyoku..." Aizen snarled. "Hogyoku...Dream...Mine!" He moved to approach Ichigo but then pivoted on his heel and spun to one side. He glanced back at Ichigo and grinned, "Dream...already mine." Before Ichigo could comprehend what was going on Aizen had already done the impossible. His stiff bony hand soared through the air with an indescribable, yet haunting grace before it pierced the age-worn flesh of the King. A crimson veil exploded the scene of violence and Ichigo's jaw dropped.

The King of Soul Society rocked forward, dead. Aizen stood over his withered corpse and spread his arms wide, face pointed to the sky. His dry, ashen lips parted for him and Aizen released a roar of triumph. Ichigo stood back, stunned. Aizen smiled at him, his yellow teeth cracked and stained with soot. The beast raised his bloodied hand to his face and traced a melted stump of a tongue along it, lapping up the blood of a dying world.

Ichigo fell to his knees and started to tremble. The gravity of the situation had only just reached him and it was a weight far too heavy for him to handle. "No...No...It-It can't be..."

Aizen took a step towards him and placed a hand over the Hogyoku. "My dream...So close... Hogyoku...Cannot accept...Defeat!"

Ichigo wasn't listening. He was still chanting to himself his pitiful mantra of denial, as if it would make everything go back the way it was, as if ignoring things would make it reality. Of course the world did not work like that. The world never worked the way Ichigo had hoped. It was true, for his entire existence, the world had not accepted him. He had not belonged. Everything he cherished had been taken away. Everything he desired had never been...The world was forever turned against him... Ichigo bowed his head and cursed. He knew what he had to do...

Ichigo forced himself to his feet, shaking at first but soon straightening up. He stared at his foe and steeled his gaze, forcing himself to stand strong no matter how much he wanted to give up. He wouldn't allow it. He would not allow himself to surrender. He could not let this cruel world beat him...No...Instead he would beat the cruel world...And create a better one.

Aizen howled manically as his body emanated a bright aura. His reiatsu rose sharply and the ground beneath him cracked. "I...Am...God!"

Ichigo clenched his fists and snarled, "If I am to make this world better...Then I must first become the Devil." Ichigo hooked his fingers across his temple and dragged them down his face, hollowfying. Steam rose from his fanged jaws and from deep within his tortured soul he let out a mighty roar, a final battle cry for a fallen warrior. With no weapons besides his bare hands Ichigo charged, screaming bloody vengeance for all of those he had let down, all of those he had failed to protect, all of those that Aizen had killed in his cold-hearted conquest, for Rukia...As the two neared their reiatsu clashed with a cataclysmic explosion and the ground beneath them splintered and disintegrated. The molten lake spat upwards in great violent pillars and the walls around them trembled from earth-shattering tremors.

And the fearsome black fangs pierced the heavens to bleed the darkness from a corrupted world.


	32. Erase

**32...Erase**

All over Soul Society battles raged. Hollows still surged like flood water into the walled city. Taru and his henchmen waged furious offensives, spurred on by Aizen's success. Taru's sickening powers brought the 13 Court Guards to their knees. Even with the fourth squad slaving away to keep their comrades alive and fighting the effects of the thick tar in the air was degrading even those trusted healers. Soul Society was in a state of utter chaos.

* * *

Captain Ukitake defended the infirmary from the seemingly endless tide of hollows while the fourth squad worked frantically over the numerous wounded. As Ukitake wore down others rose to replace him while he could recuperate and the battles raged on like this for as long as the hollows kept up their charge.

* * *

The first squad was joined by the troops of most of the other squads, amounting a massive force which decimated the hollow ranks and rendered them useless. As the hollow numbers collapsed Shin'En took their place, charging alone at the army of shinigami.

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki stood his ground against Taru, ignoring the power differences between them and his weakened physical state. He refused to stand down. His honour and pride as not only a captain of the Gotei 13 but also as a member of the noble Kuchiki family he would not accept defeat.

Taru's offensive was lazy, sluggish even. He was toying with his prey, relishing in the world around him drowning in darkness. Victory had come so close within his grasp and he would never let it fall now. He was too close. Victory was his at last! All those years training and waiting, it had not been for nought. He would slay every last shinigami in this wretched place and bring about a new era. With the shinigami subdued Aizen would be powerless against him! Besides, how could a pitiful shinigami like Aizen slay the King of Soul Society.

According to legend the King was a great warrior who stood as tall as a mountain and with the strength of a million captains. He was an infallible creature, the cornerstone of Soul Society and the champion of this world. Even so, he was trapped within his own realm, never to enter this land lest he destroy it utterly with his immense strength. Aizen was probably dead by now anyway. He was weak, always weak. He would never have created the Oken if it had not been for Taru's own efforts in defeating the shinigami. Aizen was merely an opportunistic fool.

Taru chuckled under his breath at the thought of his former master and Lord dying short of his dreams. It brought a cruel smile upon his face.

_Yes...Aizen is probably rotting in the earth right now! There is no way he could still be alive! Ha ha ha!_

However those thoughts dissipated the instant the earth began to tremble and the ground cracked like a broken pane of glass. The sky split open and started to turn in upon itself like a black hole. The rubble and corpses disintegrated and were swallowed up inside of it. Nobody knew what was happening, but in that instant the battles ceased.

Taru dropped his sword and stared at the abyss with wide, terrified eyes. "N-No...Is this...It can't be..." Taru was shaking. "He...He actually did it? Impossible! Aizen you fool! You will kill us all-" Taru felt a sharp stabbing pain in his gut. He looked down and stared at the gleaming blade jutting out of the ragged wound in his stomach. The sword was wrenched free and Taru dropped to his knees.

Byakuya stood over him and pointed his blade between the monster's eyes. "I will not lose to Aizen or his pitiful minions. This disturbance shall not break me. I shall conquer any who stand in my way."

Taru cursed under his breath, "Can't you see? Your King is dead! This world will vanish just like Karakura Town! Everyone and everything will die!"

Byakuya nodded curtly, "Indeed. That is most probable, but even so I will at least die knowing I put an end to your wretched life!" The noble captain cut Taru down and stood over his corpse while gazing up at the sky. "Is this truly the end?"

* * *

The underground chamber trembled behind the overwhelming spiritual pressure of the two warring foes. Two insanely powerful warriors fought with the very last of their energy, their strength sapped away by a war that had dragged on for far too long. Too many had died already and the end had finally arrived. With these two men the fate of the existence of the very world as they knew it hung in the balance. This was judgement day.

One challenger, a demon driven by murderous desires and a greed most foul. Sacrificing his own body and mind in the pursuit of his vile ambitions. Wishing only to claim a world that was not already his, Aizen fought for hollow desires and a childish dream.

The other, a young boy with hair the colour of flame. He had been beaten and broken by an unforgiving world and yet he still fought with renewed vigour to save it. He knew that the death of the King of Soul Society would bring about an end of an era, but if he could win this battle...Then maybe, just maybe he could protect those who had not yet succumbed to the eternal slumber of death. If not, then at the very least he would avenge Rukia, the piece of himself that had been tragically erased by Aizen's hand.

The two did not collide, their reiatsu clashing and throwing them both backwards with tremendous force. They landed at opposite sides of the pit which had now begun to crumble. Lava spat up in furious pillars, spilling onto the earth and eroding the cracked rocks, only making the ground fall apart further.

Ichigo dragged himself back to his feet, casting his gaze across the molten sea to his most hated opponent in his short, short life. The beast with coal-fired eyes and fleshless, skeletal limbs. A monster who had sacrificed his human form just to achieve his goals. A former man who had been corrupted by immense greed. So power hungry that he sought to devour the entire world.

"Aizen!" He snarled, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. He was defenceless, no longer able to wield a sword since hurling it into the lava. He did not know how he would win or even survive for that matter...All he knew was that he _had _to. He stood his ground and waited for Aizen to soar towards him like a sickening, rotting angel. A messenger of death with wings of melted flesh and a halo of torn skin and fractured bone. Tufts of hair still flowed out from his raw scalp, as long as a lions mane but with ugly bald patches all over, making him look like a dessicated corpse. He looked even less like a god now than he ever did.

Aizen floated towards him, still trying to work his singed vocal chords. "Ichigo Kurosaki...Die!"

He dropped on dry land and rushed to meet his opponent. The two collided this time, Ichigo lunging for a punch, only to be aught within Aizen's longer reach. Blackened, bony fingers wrapped around his throat and Ichigo felt weightless for a moment as he was lifted off his feet...Only to be brought down hard into the earth. His head hit with a resounding crack and splotches of colour appeared in Ichigo's field of vision. His head was spinning, throbbing, aching, screaming. The pain of his lost world was dropped on top of him and it crushed him. Ichigo cried out in anguish but Aizen only released a dry rasping chuckle.

"It's over." He snarled, his voice as rough as the gnarled, mangled flesh of his face which hung off him in strips and scraps. His colourless lips parted to reveal a rotten-toothed smile and his half eroded tongue lashed out venomously as he laughed once more. "I shall end this...With you!"

Ichigo struggled to throw him off but he couldn't. Somehow Aizen felt as heavy as a boulder. The burden of his losses, of his failures, of his mistakes and his shortcomings, his weaknesses and the lies he had lived. All of it weighed him down and Ichigo was thus trapped.

The battles, the pain, the heart-ache. If he were to die then it would all be for naught. Was it truly to end like this? Had he pushed himself so far just to fall short in the end? Ichigo didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was becoming quite clear. Aizen's dream was becoming reality. Could a mere substitute shinigami shatter the bonds of reality and destroy such a dream?

_Rukia...I told you I would come back for you...I can't die just yet! I won't die just yet...I will live on!_

"I will live on!" Ichigo muttered under his breath.

Aizen frowned at him, "What?"

Ichigo opened his eyes wide and glared deep within those of his opponent. His soul flared with hatred and passion and he managed to push Aizen back. "I will live on!" he cried, "And create a world free of the pain I feel! I will shoulder the burden of this pain and release the people from suffering!"

Aizen scoffed at him. "Bah! A fools dream! The Hogyoku has already decided-"

"Nothing has been decided!" Ichigo roared, lunging at Aizen. He came close, within striking distance but the Hogyoku released a powerful shock which threw him off into the cavern wall. Ichigo landed in a heap at Aizen's feet.

_Damn...Why? Why can't I beat him? Why must I fail at everything I do? Why can't I do anything right? Damn...Damn...Damn..._

_DAMN!_

_Rukia...I won't let you down! I will see you again, I swear! I won't rest...Until I see you again..._

_See you again..._

_See you again..._

_Rukia..._

Aizen picked Ichigo up by his hair. He struck the poor boy several times and spat in his face. "Your brave words mean nothing coming from a foolish puppet. Your entire life I have been pulling the strings to get you where you are today. Do you really believe such a pathetic little creature such as you could bring about my end? You are no hero. You are deluding yourself."

Ichigo gazed up at his foe and snarled, "I may not be a hero...But you aren't a god either." He raised his his hand slowly, sluggishly. "I may not be a hero...But I won't break my promise..." Ichigo thrust his hand deep into Aizen's chest, wrapping his fingers around the Hogyoku. It burned but with a heave of effort Ichigo wrenched the accursed artefact from Aizen's unnaturally ressurected body.

Aizen dropped the boy and staggered backwards, holding a hand over the cavity in his chest, his mouth wide open in shock and his eyes wide. He tried to curse the name of his foe but words failed him. He stumbled back further, gasping for air like a beached fish. His flesh shrivelled. And his skin oozed off from his bones. Aizen trembled, his mouth opening to release one final roar.

Ichigo limped forward and held the Hogyoku out in front of himself like a weapon. "This," he cried, "Is for RUKIA!" The shattered orb glowed with a brilliant white light and sent forth a devastating bolt of lightning. Aizen was struck with the full force of the Hogyoku, obeying Ichigo's powerful command. "Die! Die and never return!"

Aizen screamed as he turned to ash, vanishing within a huge explosion of light and heat which sent shock waves throughout the entire area. The world around him started to collapse and only then did Ichigo realise that the world had ended.

He limped over to where Rukia's corpse still lay and he kneeled down beside her. He cradled her and placed the Hogyoku within her hand and cupping his around it. Ichigo smiled weakly, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Rukia...I...I did it...I did it..." He couldn't say any more, overcome with grief he sobbed.

_Rukia...Why did it have to end like this? I would give anything to be by your side again..._

The Hogyoku glowed...

* * *

The fate of all worlds has been decided and everything that ever has and ever will exist now rests on the shoulders of the young substitute shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki. 

Don't miss the harrowing conclusion of Black Fang, White Moon...Your world depends upon it...


	33. Black Fang, White Moon

**33...Black Fang, White Moon**

"Ichigo! Ichigo you're going to be late for school!" A bright little voice called from some faraway place. Ichigo opened his eyes and looked around at his bedroom. The sun was pouring through and it blinded him. With an irritated groan he closed the blinds and stumbled over to the door. He struggled his way through getting dressed, his shirt half buttoned up and his pant leg dragging behind him, he staggered across the landing to the stairs, tugging at his clothes and fitting them better before descending to his awaiting family.

Yuzu and Karin were eating breakfast and Goat-chin was pouring himself a cup of coffee. Karin rolled her eyes and muttered slyly, "Sleeping princess is finally up..."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head and collapsed into a chair, gulping down the cold toast and dried up eggs Yuzu had left for him. It tasted so good, fit for a king. Ironic that it was served to a simple teenager. When he had his fill he moved to leave, but he froze in the doorway. He turned back to his family and smiled. "Yuzu...Karin...I missed you..."

"Huh?" Yuzu frowned, "Missed us for what?"

"Yeah," Karin nodded, "When did we ever leave?"

Their behaviour brought warmth to Ichigo's heart and he moved to hug them, but as he reached them he fell to the floor. Their laughter made the pain in his face go away and he slinked off to school blushing.

The streets were filled. Cars drove to school or work or the markets and students lined the pathways as they braved the morning sun on their trip to school. Ichigo joined their ranks, marching with them, unusually glad to be surrounded by people.

"Hey Ichigo," A distantly familiar voice called from behind. Ichigo spun on his heels and almost bumped into Tatsuki Arisawa. She stopped short of colliding with him and scowled. "Watch where you're going. You almost knocked me out!"

Ichigo laughed. He couldn't control it or suppress it. He just needed to laugh. Tatsuki eyed him curiously and shook her head.

"Honestly you worry me sometimes. Anyway, Orihime and I were going to the movies tonight, wanna come with us?"

"Sure, sounds like fun." Ichigo looked up ahead and found Inoue Orihime running towards them, singing happily like a junior student. She skipped up to them and gave them a beaming smile. "Orihime..." Ichigo muttered, "You're okay..."

The cheerful young girl cocked her head inquisitively. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

A silence ensued between them, awkward but delightful. Ichigo sighed and waved his hand. "Never mind. It was nothing."

As they neared the school they saw a cloud of dust spreading out behind another familiar face. "I-Chi-Go!" Keigo raced towards him and Ichigo struck his leg out to stop him, but Keigo did not fall. He ended up beside his old friend with a wide smile on his face. "Couldn't catch me that time could you? Ha!"

"Oh shut up Keigo!" Tatsuki snarled. "You're way too energetic for this early in the morning."

The group moved on, reaching the gates of the school. Ichigo felt compelled to run to class, maybe because he was excited, or maybe because the bell wailed like a hungry child. Either way, Ichigo bolted for the classroom. He dodged students in the halls and raced on up the stairs, moving so fast it felt like he was running through people.

The door loomed ahead. He placed a hand on it and shuddered. It was cold, really cold. He pushed the door open and there were students everywhere. A group of girls sat in the corner giggling to themselves. The delinquents at the back of the class boasted about imaginary exploits just to inflate their egos. People sat in their seats, fixated on their phones, texting and laughing. It was just like it always was. It felt like home...It felt right.

Ichigo sat down at his seat and watched as his friends dragged themselves through the door, panting like overworked hounds.

"Why did you make us run?" Tatsuki asked.

"Yeah, PE is tomorrow morning." Keigo whined.

Ichigo apologised and sat back in his chair, staring out at the bright blue sky outside the window. There were clouds in the sky...Birds too. It looked like a painting, otherworldly beautiful. It was so real, and yet it felt like it wasn't there...

Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again someone was leaning over his desk, her face pushed close to his. Her eyes were the deepest ocean blue and her shiny black hair swept over her shoulders with the grace of waves. The sight of her brought on a stirring feeling of joy so overwhelmingly strong that Ichigo felt his heart racing within his chest. He could barely breathe.

The girl fixed her gaze on him and spoke in a voice as soft and gentle a silk, "Hello Ichigo. Feels like forever doesn't it?"

Ichigo felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes and he rose from his seat unannounced and lunged at her. With a cry of joy Ichigo wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight burying his face in her shoulder and laughing hysterically.

"Rukia...Rukia...Rukia..." he sobbed.

Everyone around him laughed and cheered and Ichigo felt a warmth greater than the sun coursing through him. It was the most wonderful feeling he had ever experienced in his entire life and he didn't want it to stop.

"Ichigo," Rukia whispered, "Open your eyes."

Ichigo let go of her and opened his eyes as she asked. It was then that the laughter stopped and suddenly the warmth faded. Ichigo looked around the classroom and found it empty, devoid of any life. Papers were scattered on the floor, torn and faded. The students all over the room were gone, leaving silent, empty space behind. Tatsuki, Keigo and Orihime were gone, nothing more than ghosts from the recent past. The sights and sounds of life disappeared as if they had never been real from the beginning. Lost forever and soon forgotten. The bright light of the sun had been replaced by a dull grey haze and the sky outside looked as bland and dead as the classroom, void and colourless.

Ichigo frowned and leaned against the windowsill, gazing down at the dead brown grass outside and the skeletal timber frames of trees. The realisation that everything he had previously seen was but a dream from his grief-stricken mind sunk in and wore him down. Heart-wrenching sadness overcame him and his lungs tightened, sucking the air out of him and leaving him breathless. His chest hurt and it felt incredibly heavy. A sinking feeling swept over him and the Kurosaki boy leaned heavily against the windowsill. He cradled his head in his hands and wept for the world he had lost, the world that existed only within his memories and nothing more. The world he had loved and protected was now reduced to scattered remnants of reminiscence. Ichigo tried to think hard, to make the ghosts return but they did not. The blank, dead world remained the same now...

"Ichigo..." That voice whispered. That voice that warmed his heart. That voice that could break through the darkest night and still be clear as day. That voice that he had cherished...That voice he had yearned to hear on those long nights alone. That voice he wished he could reach out and touch. To hold and embrace...That voice...

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder to see Rukia standing beside him. She looked unsure of herself, as if she wanted to say something but didn't feel confident enough to say it. She shuffled awkwardly on her feet and averted her gaze, but she was compelled to look at him once again and when she did their eyes met. Their final moments together were but a blur of sadness of pain. Their last encounter had been one of nightmares, regardless of the moments they shared. Now seemed a better time than ever to reinforce their feelings and make amends.

"Ichigo...I...I always loved you..." She blushed and forced a weak smile.

Ichigo strode purposefully towards Rukia and embraced her. He looked deep within her eyes and spoke with all the passion in his soul, "Rukia, I love you. You are worth more than the world to me. Let us spend eternity together...Just us...Forever..."

The two held each other and cried. None ever existed to hear them, nor see them. The winds had died long ago and the world remained still. The sun never showed, instead the sky remained grey. Night was the purest of darkness and no light ever shone on the frozen corpse of the earth. Shinigami, hollows...They were nothing more than a tale, a legend never to be passed down, forever entwined with the last remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

Ichigo and Rukia accepted their fate, to bear the burden of humanity's downfall and live for as long as time itself, forever haunted by the ghosts of their lost world. Every face, every voice. They played within their heads for all time, endlessly bringing sadness and pain.

Ichigo had sacrificed everything that ever was to be with Rukia, and in that overwhelming sacrifice there would forever be the doubts that gnawed away at the fabric of his conscious. "Was it all worth it?" He would often ask in the back of his mind but as soon as he saw Rukia he would answer the same as he always had. He realised he had failed to create a better world and that he had let countless innocents down. He also knew that he had doomed every living thing on Earth to an abrubt and unjustified extinction. These failures were insurmountable and nothing would make amends for the tragedies that had befallen him, but to have Rukia's shoulder to cry on meant more to him than the world ever did. The pain never went away and the terror and guilt of what he had done remained a part of him for his eternal existence. Together they bore the burden of the death of their world.

And every time a tear dropped from their all-seeing eyes they would confide in one another, the final consolation, the only consolation for the Adam and Eve of a stillborn existence. The new King had no throne, no castle, no guards, no followers. He merely had another unfortunate soul to bury his sorrows.

His fangs grew blunt over the course of time and the Black Fanged beast became tamed by loss. The shadows of damnation crept ever closer but they never reached due to the soft trace of light from the White Moon. They suffered the encroaching darkness together...

Enduring evermore...

Together until the end of time.

_**...End...**_

_**(10/10/10 - 11/6/11)**_

* * *

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, it has been with your constant support that I was able to write this harrowing tale. Special thanks to Darklover, Omaomae, Shannon Hitsugaya, Mari Kia Resha Aishiteru, falconrukichi, Wulf 4 Life, kicyslawa, Yami-no-Tamashii, YuukiCross5 and Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius for your many kind comments and unending support throughout. I might be forgetting some people and I apologise if I am but know that I am grateful for your time and I really hope I have entertained you over these eight months. Any final thoughts would be most appreciated. 

Till next time, keep reading and once again; Thank you.


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